Compare Costa Rica (2004) - Guinea (2005)

Compare Costa Rica (2004) z Guinea (2005)

	Costa Rica (2004)	Guinea (2005)

Administrative divisions	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose	33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special); Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou
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: 44.4% (male 2,123,207/female 2,079,475) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,478,820/female 2,486,300) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 131,130/female 168,934) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber	rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Airports	149 (2003 est.)	16 (2004 est.)
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: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)	total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco	total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than West Virginia	slightly smaller than Oregon
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.	Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.
Birth rate	18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	42.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.313 billion expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $382.7 million expenditures: $711.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	San Jose	Conakry
Climate	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands	generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Coastline	1,290 km	320 km
Constitution	7 November 1949	23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica	conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea
Currency	Costa Rican colon (CRC)	-
Death rate	4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	15.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$5.366 billion (2003 est.)	$3.25 billion (2001 est.)
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 Jackson MCDONALD embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22
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 Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010
Disputes - international	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved	conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states has spilled over into Guinea, resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998
Economic aid - recipient	-	$359.2 million (1998)
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.	Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff. Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and caused riots in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose slightly in 2004, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets.
Electricity - consumption	6.109 billion kWh (2001)	795.2 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	379 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	128 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	6.839 billion kWh (2001)	855 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution	deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%	Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Exchange rates	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)	Guinean francs per US dollar - 2,550 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003), 1,975.8 (2002), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000)
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 Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 4 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%
Exports	NA (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment	bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Exports - partners	US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)	France 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, UK 14.7%, Switzerland 12.8%, Ukraine 4.2% (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 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 red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP	purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 25% industry: 38.2% services: 36.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.6% (2003 est.)	1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	10 00 N, 84 00 W	11 00 N, 10 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 Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
Highways	total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)	total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)
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
Imports - commodities	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum	petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners	US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)	Cote d'Ivoire 15.5%, France 9%, Belgium 6.1%, China 6%, South Africa 4.8% (2004)
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)	2 October 1958 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	8% (2003 est.)	3.2% (1994)
Industries	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products	bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
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: 90.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 95.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 84.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	9.4% (2003 est.)	18% (2004 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, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)	950 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)	Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Labor force	1.758 million (2003)	3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)	agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km	total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Land use	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)	arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)
Languages	Spanish (official), English	French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
Legal system	based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not 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; 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	unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.63 years male: 74.07 years female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)	total population: 49.36 years male: 48.19 years female: 50.57 years (2005 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: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Location	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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.)	-
Military branches	no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security	Army (includes Presidential Guard, Republican Guard), Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$64 million (2003)	$56.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.4% (2003)	1.7% (2004)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 41,709 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)	Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Nationality	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican	noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean
Natural hazards	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes	hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Natural resources	hydropower	bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Net migration rate	0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2005 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 242 km (2004)	-
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]	Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]
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	3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)	9,467,866 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	20.6% (2002 est.)	40% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate	1.52% (2004 est.)	2.37% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas	Kamsar
Radio broadcast stations	AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)	AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)
Railways	total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)	total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Religions	Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%	Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 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: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	1.132 million (2002)	26,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	528,047 (2002)	111,500 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)	6 low-power stations (2001)
Terrain	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes	generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Total fertility rate	2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)	5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.7% (2003 est.)	NA (2002 est.)
Waterways	730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)	1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)

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