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Compare Costa Rica (2003) - Lesotho (2006)

Compare Costa Rica (2003) z Lesotho (2006)

 Costa Rica (2003)Lesotho (2006)
 Costa RicaLesotho
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
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: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)


15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 151 (2002) 28 (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


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2006)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than Maryland
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. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.
Birth rate 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $738.5 million


expenditures: $792.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2005 est.)
Capital San Jose name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 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 temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 1,290 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 7 November 1949 2 April 1993
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: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


local short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) -
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $4.8 billion (2002 est.) $735 million (2002)
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 June Carter PERRY


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 22 312666


FAX: [266] 22 310116
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient - $41.5 million (2000)
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. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.
Electricity - consumption 6.109 billion kWh (2001) 363.5 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 379 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 128 million kWh (2001) 38 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)
Electricity - production 6.839 billion kWh (2001) 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1.5%


hydro: 81.9%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 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 population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998) maloti per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (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%
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile


head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002) Hong Kong 43.6%, China 35.4%, Germany 8.4% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
GDP purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 16.3%


industry: 44.3%


services: 39.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.8% (2002 est.) 1.2% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 29 30 S, 28 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 landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
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%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
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 NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002) US 84%, Belgium 12.8%, Canada 2.4% (2005)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2.9% (2002 est.) 15.5% (1999)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
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: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.1% (2002 est.) 4.7% (2005 est.)
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 ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 30 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force 1.9 million (1999) 838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa


industry and services: 14%
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2005)
Languages Spanish (official), English Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
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 and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.43 years


male: 73.87 years


female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)
total population: 34.4 years


male: 35.55 years


female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
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Military - note - the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica) Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing
Military expenditures - dollar figure $69 million (FY99) $41.1 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY99) 2.1% (2005 est.)
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) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes periodic droughts
Natural resources hydropower water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Net migration rate 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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
Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara SEKAUTU]
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.) 2,022,331


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 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 20.6% (1999 est.) 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 1.56% (2003 est.) -0.46% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas -
Radio broadcast stations AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
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Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
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: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 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: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 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
48,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 143,000 (2000) 245,100 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.3% (2002 est.) 45% (2002)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable) -
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