Compare Costa Rica (2004) - France (2003)

Compare Costa Rica (2004) z France (2003)

	Costa Rica (2004)	France (2003)

Administrative divisions	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose	22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
Age structure	0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber	wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports	149 (2003 est.)	477 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)	total: 273 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95 914 to 1,523 m: 80 under 914 m: 57 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)	total: 204 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 128 (2002)
Area	total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco	total: 547,030 sq km land: 545,630 sq km water: 1,400 sq km note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than West Virginia	slightly less than twice 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.	Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of the euro in January 2002. At present, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.
Birth rate	18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	12.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.313 billion expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $286 billion expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2002 est.)
Capital	San Jose	Paris
Climate	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands	generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Coastline	1,290 km	3,427 km
Constitution	7 November 1949	28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws 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: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique Francaise local short form: France
Currency	Costa Rican colon (CRC)	euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate	4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$5.366 billion (2003 est.)	NA (1998)
Dependent areas	-	Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 519-2305	chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22 FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83 consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS 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 Jean-David LEVITTE chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved	Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - donor	-	ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)
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. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.	France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. At the end of 2002 the government was focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government was also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, high debt, and the steep cost of capital.
Electricity - consumption	6.109 billion kWh (2001)	415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	379 million kWh (2001)	72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	128 million kWh (2001)	4.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	6.839 billion kWh (2001)	520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% nuclear: 77.1% other: 0.7% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m	lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 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	some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%	Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Exchange rates	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)	euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 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 Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second round NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04%
Exports	NA (2001)	409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment	machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners	US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)	Germany 15%, UK 9.8%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.9% (2002)
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	three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas
GDP	purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1.558 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 3% industry: 26% services: 71% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.6% (2003 est.)	1.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	10 00 N, 84 00 W	46 00 N, 2 00 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	largest West European nation
Heliports	-	3 (2002)
Highways	total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)	total: 894,000 km paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)	lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
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 and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
Imports	NA (2001)	2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum	machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners	US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)	Germany 19.4%, Belgium 9.2%, Italy 8.8%, UK 7.3%, Netherlands 7%, US 6.8%, Spain 6.7% (2002)
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)	486 (unified by Clovis)
Industrial production growth rate	8% (2003 est.)	-0.3% (2002)
Industries	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products	machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	9.4% (2003 est.)	1.8% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	BCIE, CACM, 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), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	62 (2000)
Irrigated land	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)	20,000 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 of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Labor force	1.758 million (2003)	26.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)	services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)
Land boundaries	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km	total: 2,889 km border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
Land use	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)	arable land: 33.3% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 64.59% (1998 est.)
Languages	Spanish (official), English	French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
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 with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative 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; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2	bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.63 years male: 74.07 years female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)	total population: 79.28 years male: 75.63 years female: 83.11 years (2003 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: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)
Location	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama	Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean) territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden 9 (2002 est.)
Military branches	no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security	Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$64 million (2003)	$46.5 billion (2000)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.4% (2003)	2.57% (2002)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 14,523,208 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 41,709 (2004 est.)	males: 392,824 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)	Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican	noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Natural hazards	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes	flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
Natural resources	hydropower	coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish
Net migration rate	0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 242 km (2004)	gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]	Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR; now merged into the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (merged into UMP) [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Martine BILLARD, Denis BAUPIN, Stephane POCRAIN, Maryse ARDITI]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP, and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]
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]	historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 865,000 members (claimed, of which 810,000 are actively employed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
Population	3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)	60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	20.6% (2002 est.)	6.4% (1999)
Population growth rate	1.52% (2004 est.)	0.42% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas	Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
Radio broadcast stations	AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)	AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)	total: 32,682 km standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (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 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
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 (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular 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: country code - 506; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)	general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Telephones - main lines in use	1.132 million (2002)	34.86 million (yearend 1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular	528,047 (2002)	11.078 million (yearend 1998)
Television broadcast stations	20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)	584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes	mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Total fertility rate	2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.7% (2003 est.)	9.1% (2002 est.)
Waterways	730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)	14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

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