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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Costa Rica (2001)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) z Costa Rica (2001)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)Costa Rica (2001)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryCosta Rica
Administrative divisions - 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure - 0-14 years:
31.38% (male 605,728; female 578,128)

15-64 years:
63.37% (male 1,209,084; female 1,181,754)

65 years and over:
5.25% (male 92,314; female 106,049) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products - coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 1 (2006) 152 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
total:
29

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
19

under 914 m:
7 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
123

914 to 1,523 m:
28

under 914 m:
95 (2000 est.)
Area total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
total:
51,100 sq km

land:
50,660 sq km

water:
440 sq km

note:
includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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.
Birth rate - 20.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget - revenues:
$1.95 billion

expenditures:
$2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital - San Jose
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 698 km 1,290 km
Constitution - 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
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 - 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external - $4.2 billion (2000 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas J. DODD

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, 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 Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain; legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. 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 NA kWh 5.303 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports - 165 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports - 69 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 5.805 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
2.41%

hydro:
83.32%

nuclear:
0%

other:
14.27% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues NA 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
Ethnic groups - white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates - Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 318.95 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997), 207.69 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state:
President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note - 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 1 February 1998 (next to be held 3 February 2002)

election results:
Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 46.6%, Jose Miguel CORRALES (PLN) 44.6%
Exports - $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities - coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners - US 54.1%, EU 21.3%, Central America 8.6% (1999)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown 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 disk on the hoist side of the red band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $25 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture:
12.5%

industry:
30.7%

services:
56.8% (1999)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility -
Highways - total:
37,273 km

paved:
7,827 km

unpaved:
29,446 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%:
1.3%

highest 10%:
34.7% (1996)
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
Imports - $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities - raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners - US 56.4%, EU 9%, Mexico 5.4%, Japan 4.7%, (1999)
Independence - 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate - 4.3% (2000)
Industries - microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate - 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 11% (2000 est.)
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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km 1,200 sq km (1993 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 0 km total:
639 km

border countries:
Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
5%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
31%

other:
12% (1993 est.)
Languages - Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply 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 1 February 1998 (next to be held 3 February 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PUSC 41%, PLN 35%, minority parties 24%; seats by party - PUSC 27, PLN 23, minority parties 7
Life expectancy at birth - total population:
76.02 years

male:
73.49 years

female:
78.68 years (2001 est.)
Literacy - definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
94.8%

male:
94.7%

female:
95% (1995 est.)
Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Political Map of the World Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica)

note:
Costa Rica has no military, only domestic police forces, including the Coast Guard and Air Section
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
1,035,090 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
692,973 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
39,411 (2001 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality - noun:
Costa Rican(s)

adjective:
Costa Rican
Natural hazards NA occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane hydropower
Net migration rate - 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - petroleum products 176 km
Political parties and leaders - Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; 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; numerous small parties share less than 25% of population's support
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 no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
3,773,057 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line - 20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate - 1.65% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) 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)
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 (2001 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
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 NA 450,000 (1998)

note:
584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular - 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Total fertility rate - 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate - 5.2% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 730 km (seasonally navigable)
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