Spanish World Academy

Costa Rica

Introduction

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 achieved a relatively high standard of living. Land ownership is widespread. Tourism is a rapidly expanding industry.

Costa Rica

Geography

Location:

Middle 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

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

Land boundaries:

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

Coastline:

1,290 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

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

Terrain:

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Elevation extremes:

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

Natural resources:

hydropower

Land use:

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

Irrigated land:

1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

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; water pollution (rivers); coastal marine pollution; wetlands degradation; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 Teatro Melico Salazar, San José

Costa Rica

People

Population:

4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.02 years male: 74.43 years female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 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

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Literacy:

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

Costa Rica

Government

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:

San Jose

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 Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); 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 Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006) 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 February 2010) election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otto SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%; note - official results pending the resolution of election challenges

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 February 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 18, PML 6, PUSC 4, 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 [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]; 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); 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]

International organization participation:

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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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 disk on the hoist side of the red band Ruinas de Cartago

Costa Rica

Economy

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. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt and with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector.

GDP:	$45.67 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita:

$11,400 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.8% industry: 29.9% services: 61.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

1.82 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

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

Unemployment rate:

6.6% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.722 billion expenditures: $3.195 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

5.7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

7.726 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.12 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:

115 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:

50 million kWh (2003)

Agriculture - products:

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

Exports:

$7.005 billion (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

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

Exports - partners:

US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$9.69 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:

US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$5.049 billion (2005 est.)

Currency:

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:

CRC

Exchange rates:

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001)

Fiscal year:

calendar year Volcán Poás

Costa Rica

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,388,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.101 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment:  very good domestic 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:  connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios:

980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:

525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:

1 million (2005)

Costa Rica

Transportation

Railways:

total:  950 km narrow gauge:  950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000)

Highways:

total:  37,273 km paved:  7,827 km unpaved:  29,446 km (1998 est.)

Waterways:

730 km (seasonally navigable)

Pipelines:

petroleum products 176 km

Ports and harbors:

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

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)

Airports:

152 (2006 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 125 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006)

Costa Rica

Military

Military branches:

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

Military manpower - military age:

18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:

males age 15-49:  1,035,090 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

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

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$83.46 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

Transnational Issues

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 Río San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty

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; those who previously only trafficked are now becoming users

This page was last updated on 14 November, 2006 by cia.gov/cia/publications