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Compare Costa Rica (2001) - Bahamas, The (2004)

Compare Costa Rica (2001) z Bahamas, The (2004)

 Costa Rica (2001)Bahamas, The (2004)
 Costa RicaBahamas, The
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
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.)
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 42,474; female 42,423)


15-64 years: 65.7% (male 96,825; female 99,985)


65 years and over: 6% (male 7,351; female 10,639) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 152 (2000 est.) 63 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways 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.)
total: 29


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
123

914 to 1,523 m:
28

under 914 m:
95 (2000 est.)
total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total:
51,100 sq km

land:
50,660 sq km

water:
440 sq km

note:
includes Isla del Coco
total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than Connecticut
Background 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. Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Birth rate 20.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.95 billion

expenditures:
$2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $918.5 million


expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)
Capital San Jose Nassau
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 1,290 km 3,542 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 10 July 1973
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
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Death rate 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $4.2 billion (2000 est.) $308.5 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and political conditions
Economic aid - recipient - $9.8 million (1995)
Economy - overview 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. The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce.
Electricity - consumption 5.303 billion kWh (1999) 1.451 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 165 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 69 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 5.805 billion kWh (1999) 1.56 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
2.41%

hydro:
83.32%

nuclear:
0%

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

highest point:
Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Environment - current issues 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 coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
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) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999)
Executive branch 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%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Exports $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners US 54.1%, EU 21.3%, Central America 8.6% (1999) US 35%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 7.8%, France 7.6%, Poland 5.3%, Switzerland 4.8%, Peru 4.2%, Paraguay 4.2% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $25 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $5.049 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
12.5%

industry:
30.7%

services:
56.8% (1999)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2000 est.) 0% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note - strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2003 est.)
Highways total:
37,273 km

paved:
7,827 km

unpaved:
29,446 km (1998 est.)
total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
1.3%

highest 10%:
34.7% (1996)
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
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 transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners US 56.4%, EU 9%, Mexico 5.4%, Japan 4.7%, (1999) US 20.8%, South Korea 17.4%, Italy 11.4%, France 9.1%, Brazil 7.5%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.3% (2000) NA (2002 est.)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.73 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 11% (2000 est.) 1.7% (2002 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 ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,200 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) 156,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
639 km

border countries:
Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
5%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
31%

other:
12% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
Languages Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law
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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population:
76.02 years

male:
73.49 years

female:
78.68 years (2001 est.)
total population: 65.63 years


male: 62.21 years


female: 69.11 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
94.8%

male:
94.7%

female:
95% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA DWT

ships by type:
passenger 1 (2000 est.)
total: 1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252 GRT/43,025,977 DWT


by type: bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20


foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada 4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49, Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13, Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2


registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
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
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) NA
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) Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Nationality noun:
Costa Rican(s)

adjective:
Costa Rican
noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources hydropower salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Net migration rate 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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
Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
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] NA
Population 3,773,057 (July 2001 est.) 299,697


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 20.6% (1999 est.) NA
Population growth rate 1.65% (2001 est.) 0.72% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
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% Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 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.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal
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)
general assessment: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Telephones - main lines in use 450,000 (1998)

note:
584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use 1998
131,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 121,800 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 2 (2004)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2000 est.) 6.9% (2001 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) -
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