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Compare Costa Rica (2002) - New Caledonia (2001)

Compare Costa Rica (2002) z New Caledonia (2001)

 Costa Rica (2002)New Caledonia (2001)
 Costa RicaNew Caledonia
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
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:
30.31% (male 31,674; female 30,416)

15-64 years:
63.95% (male 66,014; female 65,006)

65 years and over:
5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products
Airports 152 (2001) 29 (2000 est.)
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:
6

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
total:
23

914 to 1,523 m:
12

under 914 m:
11 (2000 est.)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total:
19,060 sq km

land:
18,575 sq km

water:
485 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than New Jersey
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. Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.
Birth rate 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
revenues:
$861.3 million

expenditures:
$735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
Capital San Jose Noumea
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline 1,290 km 2,254 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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:
Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form:
New Caledonia

local long form:
Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form:
Nouvelle-Caledonie
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2001 est.) $79 million (1998 est.)
Dependency status - overseas territory of France since 1956
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
none (overseas territory of France)
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
none (overseas territory of France)
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - recipient - $880 million annual subsidy from France
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. New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.
Electricity - consumption 5.895 billion kWh (2000) 1.414 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 532 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 22 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 6.887 billion kWh (2000) 1.52 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16% (2000)
fossil fuel:
78.95%

hydro:
21.05%

nuclear:
0%

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


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

highest point:
Mont Panie 1,628 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 erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
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% Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 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) Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
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:
President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999)

head of government:
President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999)

cabinet:
Consultative Committee

elections:
French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress
Exports $5 billion (2001) $411 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000) Japan 27%, France 17%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 9% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11%


industry: 37%


services: 52% (2000) (2000)
agriculture:
4%

industry:
30%

services:
66% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.3% (2001 est.) 3.5% (1998 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 21 30 S, 165 30 E
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 -
Heliports - 6 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 37,273 km


paved: 7,827 km


unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
total:
4,825 km

paved:
2,287 km

unpaved:
2,538 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 35% (2001) (2001)
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 -
Imports $6.5 billion (2001) $843 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice
Imports - partners US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000) France 49%, Australia 14%, Singapore 6%, New Zealand 5%, US 5% (1999)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass
Industrial production growth rate -2.1% (2001 est.) -0.6% (1996)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products nickel mining and smelting
Infant mortality rate 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.1% (2001 est.) 1.5% (1998 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 ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 160 sq km (1991)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) (1999) 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 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%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
12%

forests and woodland:
39%

other:
49% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French 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
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1

note:
New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.22 years


male: 73.68 years


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

male:
70.08 years

female:
76.11 years (2001 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:
91%

male:
92%

female:
90% (1976 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 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 (2002 est.)
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) $192.3 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) 5.3% (1996)
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) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun:
New Caledonian(s)

adjective:
New Caledonian
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Natural resources hydropower nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Net migration rate 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 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]; 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
Alliance pour la Caledonie [Didier LEROUX]; Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE]; Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD]; Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA]; Renouveau [Thierry VALET]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA]
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.) 204,863 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.61% (2002 est.) 1.48% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas Mueo, Noumea, Thio
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 980,000 (1997) 107,000 (1997)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2001 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:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 13,040 (1998)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes coastal plains with interior mountains
Total fertility rate 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2000 est.) 19% (1996)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) none
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