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Compare Costa Rica (2002) - Western Sahara (2006)

Compare Costa Rica (2002) z Western Sahara (2006)

 Costa Rica (2002)Western Sahara (2006)
 Costa RicaWestern Sahara
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose none (under de facto control of Morocco)
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: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish
Airports 152 (2001) 11 (2006)
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: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
total: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia about the size of Colorado
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. Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Birth rate 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) NA births/1,000 population
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


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


expenditures: $NA
Capital San Jose none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline 1,290 km 1,110 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 -
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: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) -
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2001 est.) $NA
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
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
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals
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. Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption 5.895 billion kWh (2000) 83.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 532 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 22 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 6.887 billion kWh (2000) 85 million kWh (2003)
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: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 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 sparse water and lack of arable land
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: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% Arab, Berber
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) Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001)
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%
none
Exports $5 billion (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment phosphates 62%
Exports - partners US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2004)
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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11%


industry: 37%


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


industry: NA%


services: 40%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 0.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 24 30 N, 13 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 the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
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%: 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) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2004)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) -
Industrial production growth rate -2.1% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products phosphate mining, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.1% (2001 est.) NA%
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 none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) -
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) (1999) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
Languages Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction -
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
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.22 years


male: 73.68 years


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


male: NA years


female: NA years
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.5%


male: 95.5%


female: 95.5% (1999 est.)
NA
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) $992.2 million
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) -
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) -
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources hydropower phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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
-
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] none
Population 3,834,934 (July 2002 est.) 273,008 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.61% (2002 est.) NA
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas -
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
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% Muslim
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.)
NA
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
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: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) NA
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) -
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