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Compare Costa Rica (2003) - Aruba (2008)

Compare Costa Rica (2003) z Aruba (2008)

 Costa Rica (2003)Aruba (2008)
 Costa RicaAruba
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age structure 0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375)


15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761)


15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661)


65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber aloes; livestock; fish
Airports 151 (2002) 1 (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: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
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Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly larger than Washington, DC
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. Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Birth rate 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $507.9 million


expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
Capital San Jose name: Oranjestad


geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 1,290 km 68.5 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 1 January 1986
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: Aruba
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) -
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $4.8 billion (2002 est.) $478.6 million (2005 est.)
Dependency status - member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
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
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba
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, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa


consulate(s): Austin
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua none
Economic aid - recipient - $11.3 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. At the same time, distribution of income remains severely unequal. 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, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down inflation. Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
Electricity - consumption 6.109 billion kWh (2001) 716.1 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 379 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 128 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 6.839 billion kWh (2001) 770 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1.5%


hydro: 81.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16.6% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 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 NA
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% mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
Exchange rates Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998) Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (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 BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009)


election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
Exports NA (2001) 230,600 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002) Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006)
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 elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 33.3%


services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.8% (2002 est.) 2.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 12 30 N, 69 58 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 a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Highways total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.7%


highest 10%: 34.6% (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 transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine
Imports NA (2001) 235,000 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002) US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate 2.9% (2002 est.) NA%
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.1% (2002 est.) 3.4% (2005)
International organization participation BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) 41,500 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%


note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
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: 10.53%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.47% (2005)
Languages Spanish (official), English Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
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 Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.43 years


male: 73.87 years


female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)
total population: 74.83 years


male: 71.8 years


female: 77.91 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: 97.3%


male: 97.5%


female: 97.1% (2000 census)
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 41,453 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources hydropower NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines refined products 421 km (2003) -
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
Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
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 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.) 100,018


note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 20.6% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.56% (2003 est.) 1.522% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas -
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 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 (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female


total population: 0.906 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 fully automatic telecommunications system


domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed


international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (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
38,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 108,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.3% (2002 est.) 6.9% (2005 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) -
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