Jersey (2003) | Costa Rica (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (British crown dependency) | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 8,292; female 7,744)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 30,178; female 30,410) 65 years and over: 15% (male 5,858; female 7,674) (2003 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products | coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 157 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 125
914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006) |
Area | total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. | 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 | 10.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
revenues: $2.722 billion
expenditures: $3.195 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | Saint Helier | 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; mild winters and cool summers | tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
Coastline | 70 km | 1,290 km |
Constitution | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice | 7 November 1949 |
Country name | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica |
Currency | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound | - |
Death rate | 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | none | $5.049 billion (2005 est.) |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | 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 | none (British crown dependency) | 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 | none | 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 | none | - |
Economy - overview | The economy is based largely on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 7.12 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 115 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France | 50 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 7.726 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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: 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 | UK and Norman-French descent | white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% |
Exchange rates | Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound | Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995) cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch |
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 |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles | coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment |
Exports - partners | UK | US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow | 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 | purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 2% services: 93% (1996) |
agriculture: 8.8%
industry: 29.9% services: 61.4% (2005 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5.9% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 49 15 N, 2 10 W | 10 00 N, 84 00 W |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier | 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 |
Highways | total: 577 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002) |
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 |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals | raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum |
Imports - partners | UK | US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005) |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5.7% (2005 est.) |
Industries | tourism, banking and finance, dairy | microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.7% (1998) | 13.8% (2005 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,080 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff) | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) |
Labor force | 57,050 (1996) | 1.82 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 20%
industry: 22% services: 58% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km |
Land use | arable land: NEGL%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts | Spanish (official), English |
Legal system | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court | based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.93 years
male: 76.48 years female: 81.57 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.02 years
male: 74.43 years female: 79.74 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France | 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 | exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $83.46 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.4% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
Nationality | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
Natural hazards | NA | occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes |
Natural resources | arable land | hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | refined products 242 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | 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] |
Population | 90,156 (July 2003 est.) | 4,075,261 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 18% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.4% (2003 est.) | 1.45% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) |
Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian | 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: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 65,500 (1997) | 1,388,500 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,400 (1997) | 1.101 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002) |
Terrain | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast | coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
Total fertility rate | 1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0.7% (1998 est.) | 6.6% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005) |