Bermuda (2002) | Costa Rica (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 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 | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products | coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 151 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 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 | about one-third the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. | 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 | 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01) |
revenues: $1.91 billion
expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Hamilton | San Jose |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
Coastline | 103 km | 1,290 km |
Constitution | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 | 7 November 1949 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
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 | Bermudian dollar (BMD) | Costa Rican colon (CRC) |
Death rate | 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $145 million (FY99/00) | $4.8 billion (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 | $NA | - |
Economy - overview | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. | 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 | 553.35 million kWh (2000) | 6.109 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 379 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 128 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 595 million kWh (2000) | 6.839 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 1.5%
hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
Environment - current issues | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development | 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 | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% | white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% |
Exchange rates | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (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 Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor |
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 | $51 million (2000) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment |
Exports - partners | EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999) | US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 - $2.2 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.) |
agriculture: 9%
industry: 30% services: 61% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.9% (2001 est.) | 2.8% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 20 N, 64 45 W | 10 00 N, 84 00 W |
Geography - note | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 | 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: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
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 | - | 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 | $719 million (2000) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum |
Imports - partners | EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999) | US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 2.9% (2002 est.) |
Industries | tourism, international business, light manufacturing | microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products |
Infant mortality rate | 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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) | 3% (July 2001) | 9.1% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC | 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) | 20 (2000) | 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) |
Labor force | 37,472 (2000) | 1.9 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 5.48% other: 90.11% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Portuguese | Spanish (official), English |
Legal system | English law | 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 (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14 |
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: 77.3 years
male: 75.21 years female: 79.27 years (2002 est.) |
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: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) | Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama |
Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) |
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary | no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4,027,970 (January 2002) | $69 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.11% (FY00/01) | 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 | Bermuda Day, 24 May | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
Nationality | noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (June to November) | occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes |
Natural resources | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism | hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | refined products 421 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT] | 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 | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] | 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 | 63,960 (July 2002 est.) | 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 20.6% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.69% (2002 est.) | 1.56% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard | Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) |
Radios | 82,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 950 km
narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002) |
Religions | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% | 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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 | 52,000 (1997) | 450,000 (1998)
note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998 |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 7,980 (1996) | 143,000 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (1997) | 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (1993) | 6.3% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | none | 730 km (seasonally navigable) |