Costa Rica

Radio broadcast stations

AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios

NA

Telephone system

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

Telephones

281,042 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18

Televisions

340,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Debt - external

$3.2 billion (October 1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

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.

Electricity - capacity

1,113,900 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,330 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

5.138 billion kWh (1995)

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)

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

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

GDP - real growth rate

-0.9% (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate

10.5% (1992)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

13.9% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 868,300 by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.5% (1996 est.); much underemployment

Area

total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water : 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

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

Coastline

1,290 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point : Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

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

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Irrigated land

1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Land use

arable land: 6% permanent crops : 5% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 31% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower potential

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

9 November 1949

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

Data code

CS

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

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%

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

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

Government type

democratic republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

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

National capital

San Jose

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$55 million (1995)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (1995)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 940,666 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 631,426 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males : 34,422 (1997 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.)

Birth rate

23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

4.15 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

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

Languages

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Life expectancy at birth

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

Literacy

definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.8% male: 94.7% female: 95% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Net migration rate

0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

3,534,174 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

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.)

Total fertility rate

2.85 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots COTE D'IVOIRE

Airports

143 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 115 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 96 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

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

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

petroleum products 176 km

Ports and harbors

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

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

Waterways

about 730 km, seasonally navigable