Costa Rica

Internet country code

.cr

Internet hosts

13,792 (2007)

Internet users

1.214 million (2006)

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; 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.351 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.444 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $3.129 billion expenditures: $3.282 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Current account balance

$-1.077 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$6.332 billion (2006 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.8 (2003)

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.

Electricity - consumption

7.776 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

70 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

81 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

8.349 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$8.238 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 27.4%, Netherlands 12.2%, China 11.7%, UK 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.39 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$50.89 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 37.4% (2003)

Imports

$10.84 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners

US 41.2%, Venezuela 5.4%, Mexico 5.2%, Ireland 5%, Japan 4.9%, Brazil 4.3%, China 4.1% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

8.4% (2006 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

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.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.478 billion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

18% (2004 est.)

Public debt

51.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.115 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$261.3 million (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$6.897 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.6% (2006 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

1,080 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 4.4% permanent crops: 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005)

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

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

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 Mark LANGDALE embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 519-2000 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, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC consulate(s): San Francisco

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%

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, 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

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 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

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 [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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 997,690 females age 18-49: 968,290 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 829,874 females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 41,097 females age 18-49: 39,243

Military branches

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.8% (male 587,395/female 560,408) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,388,114/female 1,357,157) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 111,758/female 129,052) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

18.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 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: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.21 years male: 74.61 years female: 79.94 years (2007 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: 26.8 years male: 26.3 years female: 27.2 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Net migration rate

0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

4,133,884 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

1.412% (2007 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: 1.048 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.)

Disputes - international

in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the R�o San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 9,470 (Colombia) (2006)

Airports

151 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 115 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 96 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,058 GRT/255 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2007)

Pipelines

refined products 242 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Caldera, Puerto Limon

Railways

total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)

Roadways

total: 35,330 km paved: 8,621 km unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Waterways

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2007)