Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Costa Rica (2002) - Nicaragua (2002) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Costa Rica (2002) - Nicaragua (2002)

Compare Costa Rica (2002) z Nicaragua (2002)

 Costa Rica (2002)Nicaragua (2002)
 Costa RicaNicaragua
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
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: 38.3% (male 980,621; female 945,386)


15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,464,468; female 1,483,082)


65 years and over: 3% (male 65,610; female 84,651) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Airports 152 (2001) 182 (2001)
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: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
total: 165


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 141 (2002)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 129,494 sq km


land: 120,254 sq km


water: 9,240 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than the state of New York
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. The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Birth rate 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 26.98 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
revenues: $726 million


expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital San Jose Managua
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Coastline 1,290 km 910 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000
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: Republic of Nicaragua


conventional short form: Nicaragua


local long form: Republica de Nicaragua


local short form: Nicaragua
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) gold cordoba (NIO)
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2001 est.) $6.1 billion (2001 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 Barbara Calandra MOORE


embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua


mailing address: APO AA 34021


telephone: [505] 268-0123


FAX: [505] 266-9943
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 Carlos J. ULVERT


chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570


FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica
Economic aid - recipient - NA
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. Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is extremely unequal. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stabilization over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has shaken the economy. Managua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on improving governability, the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up in 2002 because of increased private investment and recovery in the global economy.
Electricity - consumption 5.895 billion kWh (2000) 2.176 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 532 million kWh (2000) 1 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 22 million kWh (2000) 100 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 6.887 billion kWh (2000) 2.233 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16% (2000)
fossil fuel: 82%


hydro: 9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 9% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Mogoton 2,438 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 deforestation; soil erosion; water 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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
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) gold cordobas per US dollar - 13.88 (January 2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.69 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997)
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 Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president
Exports $5 billion (2001) $609.5 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold
Exports - partners US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000) US 57.7%, Germany 5.3%, Canada 4.2%, Costa Rica 3.3%, Honduras 3% (2000)
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 three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11%


industry: 37%


services: 52% (2000) (2000)
agriculture: 33%


industry: 23%


services: 44% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.3% (2001 est.) 2.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 13 00 N, 85 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 largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Highways total: 37,273 km


paved: 7,827 km


unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
total: 16,382 km


paved: 1,818 km


unpaved: 14,564 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 35% (2001) (2001)
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 49% (1998) (1998)
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 destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
Imports $6.5 billion (2001) $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods
Imports - partners US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000) US 23.9%, Costa Rica 11.4%, Venezuela 9.9%, Guatemala 7.9%, Mexico 5.9% (2000)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate -2.1% (2001 est.) 4.4% (2000 est.)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Infant mortality rate 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 32.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.1% (2001 est.) 7.4% (2001 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 BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 880 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) (1999) 1.7 million (1999) (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
total: 1,231 km


border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20.24%


permanent crops: 2.38%


other: 77.38% (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon Spanish (official)


note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
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 National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.22 years


male: 73.68 years


female: 78.89 years (2002 est.)
total population: 69.37 years


male: 67.39 years


female: 71.44 years (2002 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: 68.2% (1999)


male: 67.1%


female: 70.5% (2000 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: natural prolongation


territorial sea: 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.)
none (2002 est.)
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) $26 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,058,283 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,308,430 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 802,779 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 39,411 (2002 est.) males: 58,232 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Nicaraguan(s)


adjective: Nicaraguan
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Natural resources hydropower gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Net migration rate 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 176 km crude oil 56 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
Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]
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] National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups
Population 3,834,934 (July 2002 est.) 5,023,818 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (1999 est.) 50% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 1.61% (2002 est.) 2.09% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 980,000 (1997) 1.24 million (1997)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)
total: 6 km


narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge


note: carries mostly passengers from Chichigalpa to Ingenio San Antonio (2001)
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 85%, Protestant
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: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 16 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: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment


domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System


international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic 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
140,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 7,911 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Total fertility rate 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.09 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2000 est.) 23% plus considerable underemployment (2001 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.