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Compare Costa Rica (2002) - Bahamas, The (2008)

Compare Costa Rica (2002) z Bahamas, The (2008)

 Costa Rica (2002)Bahamas, The (2008)
 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: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766)


15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641)


65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 27% (male 41,268/female 41,186)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 99,961/female 103,230)


65 years and over: 6.5% (male 8,176/female 11,834) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 152 (2001) 62 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways 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)
total: 24


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 22 (2007)
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 expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. Lucayan 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 Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Birth rate 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 17.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
revenues: $1.03 billion


expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)
Capital San Jose name: Nassau


geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
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) -
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.13 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2001 est.) $342.6 million (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


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


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 356-3229 (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 Cornelius A. SMITH


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua disagrees with the US on the alignment of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian refugees in Bahamian waters
Economic aid - recipient - $4.78 million (2004)
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 one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 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 tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when combined with business services, account for about 36% 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 combined 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. Tourism, in turn, depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors.
Electricity - consumption 5.895 billion kWh (2000) 1.762 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 532 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 22 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 6.887 billion kWh (2000) 1.894 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16% (2000)
-
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; coastal marine pollution; 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 - 343.08 (January 2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003)
Executive branch 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%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)


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 $5 billion (2001) transshipments of 41,290 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000) Spain 22.3%, US 19.8%, Poland 13.5%, Germany 13%, UK 5.7%, Guatemala 4.9% (2006)
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 - $31.9 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11%


industry: 37%


services: 52% (2000) (2000)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 0.3% (2001 est.) 2.8% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note 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 strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2007)
Highways total: 37,273 km


paved: 7,827 km


unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 35% (2001) (2001)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
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 transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports $6.5 billion (2001) 68,250 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000) US 24.7%, Brazil 15.7%, Japan 13.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Spain 6.2% (2006)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate -2.1% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 24.17 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.1% (2001 est.) 2.4% (2007 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 10 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; magistrates courts
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) (1999) 181,900 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.58%


permanent crops: 0.29%


other: 99.13% (2005)
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 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 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 2 May 2007 (next to be called by May 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.22 years


male: 73.68 years


female: 78.89 years (2002 est.)
total population: 65.66 years


male: 62.37 years


female: 69.02 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.5%


male: 95.5%


female: 95.5% (1999 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 (2002 est.)
total: 1,213 ships (1000 GRT or over) 40,403,455 GRT/54,276,183 DWT


by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 225, cargo 240, chemical tanker 84, combination ore/oil 13, container 72, liquefied gas 49, livestock carrier 2, passenger 117, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 196, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 39


foreign-owned: 1,134 (Angola 6, Australia 3, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 1, Canada 13, China 9, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 20, Denmark 66, Finland 8, France 43, Germany 40, Greece 214, Hong Kong 3, Iceland 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 2, Italy 1, Japan 62, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 11, Monaco 11, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24, Nigeria 2, Norway 232, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Russia 5, Saudi Arabia 15, Singapore 9, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 11, Sweden 5, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 5, UAE 20, UK 68, US 162, Uruguay 1, Venezuela 1)


registered in other countries: 3 (Barbados 1, Panama 2) (2007)
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) 0.5% (2006)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,058,283 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 39,411 (2002 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 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 176 km -
Political parties and leaders 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
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; 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 3,834,934 (July 2002 est.) 305,655


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (1999 est.) 9.3% (2004)
Population growth rate 1.61% (2002 est.) 0.602% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas -
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios 980,000 (1997) -
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
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 (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.002 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.968 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.691 male(s)/female


total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 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; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services


international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 2 (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
133,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 227,800 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 2 (2006)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2000 est.) 7.6% (2006 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) -
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