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Compare Barbados (2001) - Costa Rica (2003)

Compare Barbados (2001) z Costa Rica (2003)

 Barbados (2001)Costa Rica (2003)
 BarbadosCosta Rica
Administrative divisions 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years:
21.68% (male 30,122; female 29,572)

15-64 years:
69.44% (male 93,283; female 97,915)

65 years and over:
8.88% (male 9,432; female 15,006) (2001 est.)
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 sugarcane, vegetables, cotton coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 1 (2000 est.) 151 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

over 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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:
430 sq km

land:
430 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. 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 13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$725.5 million

expenditures:
$750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)
revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Bridgetown San Jose
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October) tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 97 km 1,290 km
Constitution 30 November 1966 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Barbados
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 Barbadian dollar (BBD) Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $425 million (2000 est.) $4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. DALEY

embassy:
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown

mailing address:
P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055

telephone:
[1] (246) 436-4950

FAX:
[1] (246) 429-5246
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 Michael KING

chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 939-9200

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-7467

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York

consulate(s):
Los Angeles
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 none legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economic aid - recipient $9.1 million (1995) -
Economy - overview Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-2000. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. Growth should remain steady in 2001, with new tourist facilities a plus factor. 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 667.7 million kWh (1999) 6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 128 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 718 million kWh (1999) 6.839 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 1.5%


hydro: 81.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16.6% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Hillaby 336 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers 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:
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity
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 black 80%, white 4%, other 16% white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) 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:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)

head of government:
Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general
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 $260 million (2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners UK 14.8%, US 11.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%, Venezuela 6.1%, Jamaica 5.8% (1998) US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) 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 - $4 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
4%

industry:
16%

services:
80% (1998)
agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.8% (2000 est.) 2.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island 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:
1,600 km

paved:
1,578 km

unpaved:
22 km (1998)
total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 1.7%


highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)
Illicit drugs one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US 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 $800.3 million (2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Japan 8.3%, UK 7.7%, Canada 2.2% (1998) US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 0.8% (1996) 2.9% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 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) 2% (2000 est.) 9.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO 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) 19 (2000) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 136,000 (1998 est.) 1.9 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land:
37%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
12%

other:
46% (1993 est.)
arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages English Spanish (official), English
Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004)

election results:
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
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:
73.25 years

male:
70.66 years

female:
75.86 years (2001 est.)
total population: 76.43 years


male: 73.87 years


female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
97.4%

male:
98%

female:
96.8% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 671,545 GRT/1,125,635 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 10, cargo 28, combination bulk 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Hong Kong 1 (2000 est.)
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
78,069 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
53,576 (2001 est.)
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, 30 November (1966) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun:
Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective:
Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas hydropower
Net migration rate -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES] 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 Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE] 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 275,330 (July 2001 est.) 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.46% (2001 est.) 1.56% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Radios 237,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% 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:
1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.63 male(s)/female

total population:
0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
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 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
island-wide automatic telephone system

international:
satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
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 108,000 (1997) 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,013 (1997) 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 11% (1999 est.) 6.3% (2002 est.)
Waterways none 730 km (seasonally navigable)
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