Costa Rica

Republica de Costa Rica

democratic republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Costa Rica as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSan Jose

Position10 00 N, 84 00 W

Area51,100 sq km

LocationMiddle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the

Populationas each edition published it

3.53 million July 1997 est. · 3.03m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2% 1997 est. · 2.38% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.82 years 1997 est. · 77.49 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.85 children per woman 1997 est. · 3.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

13.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 16 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,500 1996 est. · $2,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-0.9% 1996 est. · 5.4% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the | North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

17 fields

Land useshare of 51,100 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 5%permanent pastures 46%forests and woodland 31%other 12% (1993 est.)irrigated 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

51,100sq km

land: 50,660 sq kmwater : 440 sq kmnote: includes Isla del Cocoslightly smaller than West Virginia

Coastline

1,290km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

3,810m

Cerro Chirripolowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

639km

border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Location

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Climate

tropical;
dry season (December to April);
rainy season (May to November)

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Natural hazards

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season;
active volcanoes

Environment - current issues

deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

People

15 fields

Population

3,534,174

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

23.35Death

4.15Net migration

0.82

Ethnic groups

white (including mestizo) 96%black 2%Amerindian 1%Chinese 1%

Literacy

94.8%

definition : age 15 and over can read and writemale: 94.7%female: 95% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34% (male 617,256; female 587,566)
15-64 years:: 61% (male 1,090,414; female 1,065,273) 65 years and over : 5% (male 80,304; female 93,361) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth :: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 75.82 years
male :: 73.41 years
female:: 78.36 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Costa Rican(s)
adjective:: Costa Rican

Languages

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Government

Democratic republic; President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

49.7%

Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 49.7%Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998)

Legislature, 57 seats, elected 6 February 1994one dot, one seat

PLN 28PUSC 25minority parties 4

Country name

conventional long form :: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form:: Costa Rica
local long form:: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form:: Costa Rica

Administrative divisions

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state :: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994);
First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994);
note - president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994);
First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994);
note - president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet selected by the president
elections:: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998)
election results :: Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 28, PUSC 25, minority parties 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly

Political parties and leaders

National Liberation Party or PLN [Rolando ARAYA];
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier];
National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ];
National Agrarian Party or PAN;
People's Party of Costa Rica or PPC [Lenin CHACON Vargas];
Agricultural Union Party or PUAC [Juan Guillermo BRENES Castillo];
Democratic Force Party or FD [Isaac Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos];
People United [Humberto VARGAS Carbonell];
Patriotic Front Party;
New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo GUTIERREZ)]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate);
Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate);
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate);
Chamber of Coffee Growers;
National Association for Economic Development or ANFE;
Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants);
National Association of Educators or ANDE;
Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP

International organization participation

AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
chancery:: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 234-2945

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4795

consulate(s) general :: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s):: Austin

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy:: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address:: APO AA 34020
telephone:: [506] 220-3939

FAX

[506] 220-2305

Flag description

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band

Economy

Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive | economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, | coffee, and other agricultural products.

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Real growth rate

-0.9%

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 10.5% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

13.9%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.5%

(1996 est.); much underemployment

Labor force

868,300

by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 18%industry 24%services 58% (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$1.1 billionExpenditures

$1.34 billion (1991 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $110 million

Economy - overview

Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put in place. Recent trends, however, have been disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in 1995, and to 0.9% in 1996. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995 from 13.5% in 1994, then dropped back to 13.9% in 1996. Unemployment appears moderate at little more than 5% but substantial underemployment continues. Furthermore, substantial government deficits have undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. The; government thus faces a formidable set of problems: to curb inflation, reduce the deficit, encourage domestic savings, and improve public sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector, all this in harmony with IMF agreements.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $19 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,500 (1996 est.)

Industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Electricity - capacity

1,113,900 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

5.138 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,330 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
beef;
timber (depletion of forest resources has resulted in declining timber output)

Exports

total value:: $3.82 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:: coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar
partners:: US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France

Imports

total value:: $3.857 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities :: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
partners:: US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany

Debt - external

$3.2 billion (October 1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 219.29 (December 1996), 207.69 (1996), 179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993), 134.51 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

281,042

(1983 est.)

Telephone system

very good domestic telephone service

domestic:: NA
international:: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios

Television broadcast stations

Televisions

340,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

total: 115 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16

Railways

total :: 950 km
narrow gauge:: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified)

note: the entire system was scheduled to be shut down on 31 June 1995 because of insolvency

Highways

total :: 35,600 km
paved:: 5,945 km
unpaved:: 29,655 km (1995 est.)

Waterways

about 730 km, seasonally navigable

Pipelines

petroleum products 176 km

Ports and harbors

Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Merchant marine

none

Airports

143 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 28 (1996 est.)

Military

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

(1995)

Military branches

Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica) note - during 1996, the Ministry of Public Security reorganized and eliminated the Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard, and Frontier Guards as separate entities;
they are now under the Ministry and operate on a geographic command basis performing ground security, law enforcement, counternarcotics, and national security (border patrol) functions;
the Constitution prohibits armed forces