Arctic Ocean (2001) | Costa Rica (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber |
Airports | - | 152 (2001) |
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:
14.056 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies |
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean. | 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 | - | 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $1.91 billion
expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | San Jose |
Climate | polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow | tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
Coastline | 45,389 km | 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 (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $4.6 billion (2001 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, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa consulate(s): Austin |
Disputes - international | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) | legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 5.895 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | - | 532 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | - | 22 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | - | 6.887 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 1%
hydro: 83% nuclear: 0% other: 16% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Fram Basin -4,665 m highest point: sea level 0 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
Environment - current issues | endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack | 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 - 343.08 (January 2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997) |
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 | - | $5 billion (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment |
Exports - partners | - | US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000) |
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 disk on the hoist side of the red band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 11%
industry: 37% services: 52% (2000) (2000) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 0.3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 90 00 N, 0 00 E | 10 00 N, 84 00 W |
Geography - note | major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months | 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: 37,273 km
paved: 7,827 km unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 35% (2001) (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 | - | $6.5 billion (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum |
Imports - partners | - | US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000) |
Independence | - | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | -2.1% (2001 est.) |
Industries | - | microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products |
Infant mortality rate | - | 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 12.1% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | - | BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, 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) (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 spoken around Puerto Limon |
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: 76.22 years
male: 73.68 years female: 78.89 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.5% male: 95.5% female: 95.5% (1999 est.) |
Location | body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle | Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama |
Map references | Arctic Region | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | - | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA 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: 1,058,283 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 39,411 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
Nationality | - | noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
Natural hazards | ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May | occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes |
Natural resources | sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) | hydropower |
Net migration rate | - | 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | petroleum products 176 km |
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 | - | 3,834,934 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 21% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | - | 1.61% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US) | Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) |
Radios | - | 980,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total: 950 km
narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, 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 (2002 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 | central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) | coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 5.2% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | 730 km (seasonally navigable) |