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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Costa Rica (2005)
Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Costa Rica (2005)
| British Virgin Islands (2002) | Costa Rica (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber |
| Airports | 3 (2001) | 149 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 30
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 119
914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
| Background | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. | 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 | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 18.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $2.497 billion
expenditures: $3.094 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
| Capital | Road Town | San Jose |
| Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
| Coastline | 80 km | 1,290 km |
| Constitution | 1 June 1977 | 7 November 1949 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
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 | US dollar (USD) | - |
| Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | $5.962 billion (2004 est.) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 519-2305 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa consulate(s): Austin |
| Disputes - international | none | legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unresolved |
| Economic aid - recipient | NA | - |
| Economy - overview | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. | 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. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate. |
| Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | 5.733 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 477 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 59 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | 6.614 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
| Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) | 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council 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 chief minister by the governor |
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); 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 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); 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 February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42% |
| Exports | $6.2 million | NA |
| Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment |
| Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | US 46.9%, Netherlands 5.3%, Guatemala 4.4% (2004) |
| Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
| Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) | 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 - $311 million (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 29.7% services: 61.8% (2004 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | 3.9% (2004 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 10 00 N, 84 00 W |
| Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | 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: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 35,303 km
paved: 4,236 km unpaved: 31,067 km (2002) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002) |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center | transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising |
| Imports | $230 million (2000 est.) | NA |
| Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum |
| Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | US 46.1%, Japan 5.9%, Mexico 5.1%, Brazil 4.2% (2004) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | 3.1% (2004 est.) |
| Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products |
| Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | 11.5% (2004 est.) |
| International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | BCIE, CACM, 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), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) |
| Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | 1.81 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | 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: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001) |
| Languages | English (official) | 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 | unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5 |
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; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 76.84 years
male: 74.26 years female: 79.55 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Central 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 fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2005) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
| Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $64.2 million (2004) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.4% (2003) |
| National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
| Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
| Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes |
| Natural resources | NEGL | hydropower |
| Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | refined products 242 km (2004) |
| Political parties and leaders | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] | Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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 | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 4,016,173 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | 18% (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 1.48% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Road Town | Caldera, Puerto Limon |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002) |
| Radios | 9,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | 0 km | total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004) |
| Religions | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) | 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 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 (2005 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Telephone system | general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular 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: country code - 506; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 1.132 million (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 528,047 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002) |
| Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
| Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 6.6% (2004 est.) |
| Waterways | none | 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004) |
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