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Compare Czech Republic (2008) - Costa Rica (2007)

Compare Czech Republic (2008) z Costa Rica (2007)

 Czech Republic (2008)Costa Rica (2007)
 Czech RepublicCosta Rica
Administrative divisions 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 738,391/female 698,999)


15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,657,877/female 3,627,493)


65 years and over: 14.7% (male 588,531/female 917,453) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 587,395/female 560,408)


15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,388,114/female 1,357,157)


65 years and over: 5.8% (male 111,758/female 129,052) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 122 (2007) 151 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 45


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 13


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 18 (2007)
total: 36


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 21


under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 77


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 26


under 914 m: 50 (2007)
total: 115


914 to 1,523 m: 19


under 914 m: 96 (2007)
Area total: 78,866 sq km


land: 77,276 sq km


water: 1,590 sq km
total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative slightly smaller than South Carolina slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. 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.
Birth rate 8.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 18.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $69.49 billion


expenditures: $75.8 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $3.129 billion


expenditures: $3.282 billion (2006 est.)
Capital name: Prague


geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
name: San Jose


geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,290 km
Constitution ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: Czech Republic


conventional short form: Czech Republic


local long form: Ceska Republika


local short form: Cesko
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica


conventional short form: Costa Rica


local long form: Republica de Costa Rica


local short form: Costa Rica
Death rate 10.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $61.74 billion (30 June 2007) $6.332 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER


embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [420] 257 022 000


FAX: [420] 257 022 809
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR


chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100


FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
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
Disputes - international in 2006, Austrian public protests for the Czech Republic to close the Temelin nuclear power plant resulted in an Austrian parliamentary motion threatening international legal action 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
Economic aid - recipient $278.7 million in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004) -
Economy - overview The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-07 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. The current account deficit has declined to around 3.3% of GDP as demand for automotive and other products from the Czech Republic remains strong in the European Union. Rising inflation from higher food and energy prices are a risk to balanced economic growth. Significant increases in social spending in the run-up to June 2006 elections prevented, the government from meeting its goal of reducing its budget deficit to 3% of GDP in 2007. Negotiations on pension and additional healthcare reforms are continuing without clear prospects for agreement and implementation. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth. The pro-business Civic Democratic Party-led government approved reforms in 2007 designed to cut spending on some social welfare benefits and reform the tax system with the aim of eventually reducing the budget deficit to 2.3% of GDP by 2010. Parliamentary approval for any additional reforms could prove difficult, however, because of the parliament's even split. The government withdrew a 2010 target date for euro adoption and instead aims to meet the eurozone criteria around 2012. Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained at roughly 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA implementation would result in an improved investment climate.
Electricity - consumption 59.72 billion kWh (2005) 7.776 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 24.99 billion kWh (2005) 70 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 12.35 billion kWh (2005) 81 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 77.38 billion kWh (2005) 8.349 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Elbe River 115 m


highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census) white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates koruny per US dollar - 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003) Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); 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 (vacant)


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 in February 2010)


election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%
Exports 20,930 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel 9% (2003) bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners Germany 32%, Slovakia 8.5%, Poland 5.7%, France 5.5%, Austria 5.1%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.6% (2006) US 27.4%, Netherlands 12.2%, China 11.7%, UK 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side


note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
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
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.4%


industry: 39.7%


services: 57.9% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 8.7%


industry: 28.9%


services: 62.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.7% (2007 est.) 7.9% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 49 45 N, 15 30 E 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe 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
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4.3%


highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 37.4% (2003)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines
Imports 203,700 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003) raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners Germany 32.5%, Netherlands 6.8%, Slovakia 6.2%, Poland 6.1%, Russia 5.7%, Austria 5%, Italy 4.4%, France 4.3% (2006) US 41.2%, Venezuela 5.4%, Mexico 5.2%, Ireland 5%, Japan 4.9%, Brazil 4.3%, China 4.1% (2006)
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2007 est.) 8.4% (2006 est.)
Industries metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.6% (2007 est.) 11.5% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 240 sq km (2003) 1,080 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 5.35 million (2007 est.) 1.874 million


note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 4.1%


industry: 37.6%


services: 58.3% (2003)
agriculture: 20%


industry: 22%


services: 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,290.2 km


border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8 km, Slovakia 251.8 km
total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land: 38.82%


permanent crops: 3%


other: 58.18% (2005)
arable land: 4.4%


permanent crops: 5.87%


other: 89.73% (2005)
Languages Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census) Spanish (official), English
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 20-21 and 27-28 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 41, CSSD 12, KDU-CSL 11, others 15, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2007 - ODS 81, CSSD 72, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6, unaffiliated 2 (former CSSD members)
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 in February 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.42 years


male: 73.14 years


female: 79.88 years (2007 est.)
total population: 77.21 years


male: 74.61 years


female: 79.94 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, southeast of Germany Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Europe Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine registered in other countries: 1 (St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007) total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,058 GRT/255 DWT


by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2007)
Military branches Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes Army and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2007) no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.46% (2007 est.) 0.4% (2006)
National holiday Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Czech(s)


adjective: Czech
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards flooding occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber hydropower
Net migration rate 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2007) refined products 242 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ] 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 [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]
Political pressure groups and leaders Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH] 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); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]
Population 10,228,744 (July 2007 est.) 4,133,884 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 18% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate -0.071% (2007 est.) 1.412% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000) AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Railways total: 9,597 km


standard gauge: 9,597 km 1.435-m gauge (3,041 km electrified) (2006)
total: 278 km


narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge


note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)
Religions Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census) Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.056 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.008 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.641 male(s)/female


total population: 0.951 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.866 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and there are now about 120 mobile telephones per 100 persons


domestic: 93% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar (2007)
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service; state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new lines, resulting in long waiting times


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; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 3,217,300 (2005) 1.351 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 12.15 million (2006) 1.444 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000) 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Terrain Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 1.22 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.6% (2007 est.) 6.6% (2006 est.)
Waterways 664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2006) 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2007)
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