Costa Rica

Internet country code

.cr

Internet hosts

10,826 (2003)

Internet users

800,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service 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; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.132 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

528,047 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.313 billion expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code

CRC

Current account balance

$-970 million (2003)

Debt - external

$5.366 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

45.9 (1997)

Economy - overview

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

Electricity - consumption

6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

379 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

128 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)

Exports

$6.176 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners

US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.6% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Imports

$7.057 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners

US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.2% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

1.758 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Oil - consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

20.6% (2002 est.)

Public debt

56.1% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$1.836 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

6.7% (2003 est.)

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

Coastline

1,290 km

Elevation extremes

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

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

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

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

Irrigated land

1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

San Jose

Constitution

7 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 519-2305

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, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa consulate(s): Austin

Executive branch

chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the 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 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

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

Government type

democratic republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 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 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 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; 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 Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

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); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Military branches

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$64 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 41,709 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.63 years male: 74.07 years female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 25.7 years male: 25.2 years female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Net migration rate

0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.52% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

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: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

Airports

149 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 242 km (2004)

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) (2003)

Waterways

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)