Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Korea, South (2005) - Costa Rica (2003)

Compare Korea, South (2005) z Costa Rica (2003)

 Korea, South (2005)Costa Rica (2003)
 Korea, SouthCosta Rica
Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)

metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years: 19.4% (male 4,952,177/female 4,450,821)


15-64 years: 72% (male 17,715,267/female 17,147,808)


65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,670,971/female 2,485,600) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375)


15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 179 (2004 est.) 151 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 88


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)
total: 30


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 19


under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 91


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)
total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
Area total: 98,480 sq km


land: 98,190 sq km


water: 290 sq km
total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative slightly larger than Indiana slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. 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.
Birth rate 10.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $150.5 billion


expenditures: $155.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Seoul San Jose
Climate temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 2,413 km 1,290 km
Constitution 17 July 1948 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Korea


conventional short form: South Korea


local long form: Taehan-min'guk


local short form: none


note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country


abbreviation: ROK
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 - Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate 6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $160 billion (2004 est.) $4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL


embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710


mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550


telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114


FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH


embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose


mailing address: APO AA 34020


telephone: [506] 220-3939


FAX: [506] 220-2305
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Lee Tae-sik (designated)


chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600


FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle


consulate(s): Agana (Guam) and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein


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
Disputes - international Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economic aid - donor ODA $334 million (2003) -
Economy - overview Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, it joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is 14 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.9% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7.0%, despite anemic global growth. Economic growth fell to 3.1% in 2003 because of a downturn in consumer spending and recovered to an estimated 4.6% in 2004 on the strength of rapid export growth. The government plans to boost infrastructure spending in 2005. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. 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. At the same time, distribution of income remains severely unequal. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down inflation.
Electricity - consumption 293.6 billion kWh (2003) 6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 128 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 322.5 billion kWh (2003) 6.839 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 1.5%


hydro: 81.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16.6% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates South Korean won per US dollar - 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001), 1,131 (2000) Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers HAN Duck-soo (14 March 2005), KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004)


cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in February 2008); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation


election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
chief of state: 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


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%
Exports 630,100 bbl/day (2003) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners China 19.7%, US 17%, Japan 8.6%, Hong Kong 7.2% (2004) US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field 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 - $32 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.2%


industry: 40.4%


services: 56.3% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.6% (2004 est.) 2.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 37 00 N, 127 30 E 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note strategic location on Korea Strait 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 206 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 86,990 km


paved: 66,721 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)


unpaved: 20,269 km (2001)
total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.7%


highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)
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 2.263 million bbl/day (2003) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners Japan 20.6%, China 13.2%, US 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.3% (2004) US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 10.1% (2004 est.) 2.9% (2002 est.)
Industries electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (2004 est.) 9.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, 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), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land 11,590 sq km (1998 est.) 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 22.9 million (2004 est.) 1.9 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (2004 est.) agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 238 km


border countries: North Korea 238 km
total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land: 17.18%


permanent crops: 1.95%


other: 80.87% (2001)
arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school Spanish (official), English
Legal system combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by proportional representation


elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008; byelections held on 30 April 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 146, GNP 125, DLP 10, DP 9, ULD 3, independents 6


note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 byelections involving six seats; MDP became DP in May 2005 (2005)
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.85 years


male: 73.42 years


female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)
total population: 76.43 years


male: 73.87 years


female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.9%


male: 99.2%


female: 96.6% (2002)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: not specified
continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 601 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,992,656 GRT/11,081,142 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 125, cargo 196, chemical tanker 88, container 71, liquefied gas 20, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 22, petroleum tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 3


foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, United Kingdom 1)


registered in other countries: 366 (2005)
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard) no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $16.18 billion (2004) $69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.8% (2004) 1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 41,453 (2003 est.)
National holiday Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004) refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman]; Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [MOON Hee-sang, chairman] Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]


note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002
Political pressure groups and leaders Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations 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 48,422,644 (July 2005 est.) 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (2001 est.) 20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.38% (2005 est.) 1.56% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004) AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Railways total: 3,472 km


standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2004)
total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
Religions no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1% 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: 1.11 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 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 (2003 est.)
Suffrage 20 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: NA


international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
general assessment: very good domestic 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: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 22.877 million (2003) 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular 33,591,800 (2003) 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable Operators) (2004) 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (2004 est.) 6.3% (2002 est.)
Waterways 1,608 km


note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)
730 km (seasonally navigable)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.