Costa Rica (2003)

Costa Rica - select year:

	Costa Rica (2001) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2002) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2004) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2005) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2006) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2007) (compare)
	Costa Rica (2008) (compare)

Compare with other popular countries

Costa Rica 2003 year


Administrative divisions	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure	0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports	151 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 121 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 93 (2002)
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
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.
Birth rate	19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.91 billion expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital	San Jose
Climate	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline	1,290 km
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
Currency	Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate	4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 220-2305
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein 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
Disputes - international	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
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. At the same time, distribution of income remains severely unequal. 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, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down inflation.
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)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001)
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, 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
Ethnic groups	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: 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 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%
Exports	379 million kWh (2001)
Exports	$5.1 billion (2002)
Exports	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners	US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year
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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 9% industry: 30% services: 61% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.8% (2002 est.)
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
Highways	total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)
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
Imports	128 million kWh (2001)
Imports	$6.4 billion (2002)
Imports	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners	US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	2.9% (2002 est.)
Industries	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate	total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	9.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, 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), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force	1.9 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.48% other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages	Spanish (official), English
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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.43 years male: 73.87 years female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 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	continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 41,453 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources	hydropower
Net migration rate	0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON] note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002
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]
Population	3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	1.56% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations	AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Railways	total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
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 (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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)
Telephones - main lines in use	450,000 (1998) note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular	143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate	2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.3% (2002 est.)
Waterways	730 km (seasonally navigable)

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.