Costa Rica

Republic of Costa RicaRepublica de Costa Rica

democratic republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Costa Rica as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 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, UTC-6

Position10 00 N, 84 00 W

Area51,100 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

4.13 million July 2007 est. · 3.03m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.412% 2007 est. · 2.38% in 1993

Median ageyears

26.8 years 2007 est. · 25.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.21 years 2007 est. · 77.49 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.21 children per woman 2007 est. · 3.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9.45 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 16 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$12,500 2006 est. · $2,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

7.9% 2006 est. · 5.4% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries.

In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 51,100 sq km

arable land 4.4%permanent crops 5.87%other 89.73% (2005)irrigated 1,080 sq km (2003)

Area

51,100sq km

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

Coastline

1,290km

territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm

Highest point

3,810m

Cerro Chirripolowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

639km

border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

tropical and subtropical;
dry season (December to April);
rainy season (May to November);
cooler in highlands

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Natural resources

hydropower

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture;
soil erosion;
coastal marine pollution;
fisheries protection;
solid waste management;
air pollution

Environment - international agreements

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

Geography - note

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country;
one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2007 est.)

111,758

65 and over5.8%

129,052

1,388,114

15-6466.4%

1,357,157

587,395

0-1427.8%

560,408

MaleFemale

Population

4,133,884

(July 2007 est.)growth rate: 1.412% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth

18.02Death

4.39Net migration

0.48

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)77.21

74.61 · 79.94Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)9.45

10.32 · 8.53

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)96%

95.9% · 96.1%Median age years (2007 est.)26.8

26.3 · 27.2

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

white (including mestizo) 94%black 3%Amerindian 1%Chinese 1%other 1%

Religions

Roman Catholic 76.3%Evangelical 13.7%Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%other Protestant 0.7%other 4.8%none 3.2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6%

(2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.048 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.023 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.866 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

900 (2003 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages

Spanish (official), English

Government

Democratic republic; President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

40.9%

Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)

Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa, 57 seats, elected 5 February 2006one dot, one seat

PLN 25PAC 17PML 6PUSC 5other 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

Government type

democratic republic

Capital

name:: San Jose
geographic coordinates:: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference:: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution

7 November 1949

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006);
First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);
Second Vice President (vacant);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006);
First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);
Second Vice President (vacant)
cabinet:: Cabinet selected by the president
elections:: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term;
election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)
election results:: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president;
percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%;
Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

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 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS];
Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS];
Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez];
Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ];
General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega];
Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas];
Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona];
Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora];
National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes];
National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO];
National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas];
National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO];
Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana];
Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas];
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN];
Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti];
United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate);
Chamber of Coffee Growers;
Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate);
Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate);
Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO;
Costa Rican Solidarity Movement;
Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO];
Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP;
National Association for Economic Development or ANFE;
National Association of Educators or ANDE;
National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS];
Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery:: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX:: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general:: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC
consulate(s):: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE
embassy:: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address:: APO AA 34020
telephone:: [506] 519-2000
FAX:: [506] 519-2305

Flag description

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band;
above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports.

45 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$50.89billion

(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $21.39 billion (2006 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

$12,500

(2006 est.)

Real growth rate

7.9%

(2006 est.)industrial production growth: 8.4% (2006 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

11.5%

(2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2006 est.)

agriculture 8.7%industry 28.9%services 62.4% (2006 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

27.4%

41.2%

12.2%

Netherlands

11.7%

China

4.1%

6.2%

5.8%

Mexico

5.2%

Venezuela

5.4%

Ireland

Japan

4.9%

Brazil

4.3%

Exports $8.238 billion (2006 est.)Imports $10.84 billion (2006 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues

$3.129 billionExpenditures

$3.282 billion (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

8.349 billion (2005)Electricity consumption

7.776 billion (2005)Electricity exports

70 million (2005)Electricity imports

81 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained at roughly 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures.

Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system.

Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits.

The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA implementation would result in an improved investment climate.

Labor force

1.874 million note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:: 20%
industry:: 22%
services:: 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

18% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.8 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Public debt

51.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
beef;
timber

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Current account balance

$-1.077 billion (2006 est.)

Exports

$8.238 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Imports

$10.84 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.115 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$6.332 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$6.897 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$261.3 million (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.478 billion (2005)

Currency (code)

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

1.444 million

(2006)

Internet users

13,792

(2007)

Fixed lines

1.351 million

(2006) · country code .cr

Telephone system

general assessment:: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage;
restricted cellular telephone service;
state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new lines, resulting in long waiting times
domestic:: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
international:: country code - 506;
landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
connected to Central American Microwave System;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Internet users

1.214 million (2006)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 36Unpaved 115

Networkskm

Roadways

35,330Railways

278Waterways

730 (2007)

Roadways: paved: 8,621 km · unpaved: 26,709 km (2004) · Railways: narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railway network is in use (2007) · Waterways: (seasonally navigable by small craft)