Compare Costa Rica (2006) - Dominica (2005)

Compare Costa Rica (2006) z Dominica (2005)

	Costa Rica (2006)	Dominica (2005)

Administrative divisions	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose	10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Age structure	0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 26.7% (male 9,328/female 9,125) 15-64 years: 65.4% (male 23,225/female 21,900) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,193/female 3,258) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber	bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Airports	157 (2006)	2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 9 (2006)	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 125 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006)	-
Area	total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco	total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than West Virginia	slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.	Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Birth rate	18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	15.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.722 billion expenditures: $3.195 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)	revenues: $73.9 million expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
Capital	name: San Jose geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Roseau
Climate	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands	tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Coastline	1,290 km	148 km
Constitution	7 November 1949	3 November 1978
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: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Death rate	4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$5.049 billion (2005 est.)	$161.5 million (2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 519-2000 FAX: [506] 519-2305	the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica
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, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC consulate(s): San Francisco	chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international	in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the Río San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty	joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea
Economic aid - recipient	-	$22.8 million (2003 est.)
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 internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica is the only signatory to the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that has not ratified it. CAFTA implementation would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.	The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP. Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order to diversify the island's production base the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.
Electricity - consumption	7.12 billion kWh (2003)	63.62 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	115 million kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	50 million kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	7.726 billion kWh (2003)	68.41 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 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, 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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%	black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
Exchange rates	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001)	East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010) election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otto SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%; note - official results pending the resolution of election challenges	chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA
Exports - commodities	coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment	bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners	US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005)	UK 21.6%, Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.5%, Japan 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4.3%, Saint Lucia 4% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 July - 30 June
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	green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 8.8% industry: 29.9% services: 61.4% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.9% (2005 est.)	-1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	10 00 N, 84 00 W	15 25 N, 61 20 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	known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world
Highways	-	total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)	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, particularly crack cocaine, is rising	transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum	manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners	US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)	China 20.4%, US 16.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 6.9%, South Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)	3 November 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	5.7% (2005 est.)	-10% (1997 est.)
Industries	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products	soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Infant mortality rate	total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 14.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	13.8% (2005 est.)	1% (2001 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, IPU, 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, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	1,080 sq km (2003)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)	Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Labor force	1.82 million (2005 est.)	25,000 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 20% industry: 22% services: 58% (1999 est.)	agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
Land boundaries	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 4.4% permanent crops: 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005)	arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001)
Languages	Spanish (official), English	English (official), French patois
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
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 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 18, PML 6, PUSC 4, other 4	unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.08%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.02 years male: 74.43 years female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)	total population: 74.65 years male: 71.73 years female: 77.71 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 has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.)
Location	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)	total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 21 (Estonia 6, Greece 3, Pakistan 1, Russia 2, Singapore 6, Syria 2, UAE 1) (2005)
Military branches	no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006)	no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$83.46 million (2005 est.)	NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.4% (2005 est.)	NA
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)	Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Nationality	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican	noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes	flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Natural resources	hydropower	timber, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate	0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-11.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 242 km (2006)	-
Political parties and leaders	Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; 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 Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]	Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]
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]	Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
Population	4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)	69,029 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	18% (2004 est.)	30% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate	1.45% (2006 est.)	-0.27% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Portsmouth, Roseau
Radio broadcast stations	AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)	AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways	total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)	-
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 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%
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 (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 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: NA domestic: fully automatic network international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use	1,388,500 (2005)	23,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.101 million (2005)	9,400 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)	1 (2004)
Terrain	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes	rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate	2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)	1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.6% (2005 est.)	23% (2000 est.)
Waterways	730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)	-

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