Compare Madagascar (2005) - Costa Rica (2004)

Compare Madagascar (2005) z Costa Rica (2004)

	Madagascar (2005)	Costa Rica (2004)

Administrative divisions	6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure	0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837) 15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971) 65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports	116 (2004 est.)	149 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)	total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km	total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Arizona	slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background	Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.	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	41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $783.7 million expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.)	revenues: $2.313 billion expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital	Antananarivo	San Jose
Climate	tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline	4,828 km	1,290 km
Constitution	19 August 1992 by national referendum	7 November 1949
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic	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	11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$4.6 billion (2002)	$5.366 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101 mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 519-2305
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603 consulate(s) general: 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, 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	claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved
Economic aid - recipient	$354 million (2001)	-
Economy - overview	Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.	Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.
Electricity - consumption	781.4 million kWh (2002)	6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	128 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	840.2 million kWh (2002)	6.839 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues	soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered	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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands 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	Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates	Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000)	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%	chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
Exports	NA	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners	US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004)	US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side	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 - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 29.3% industry: 16.7% services: 54% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2004 est.)	5.6% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 47 00 E	10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note	world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel	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: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)	total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29% (1999)	lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
Illicit drugs	illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin	transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine
Imports	NA	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners	France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004)	US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)
Independence	26 June 1960 (from France)	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2000 est.)	8% (2003 est.)
Industries	meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate	total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7.5% (2004 est.)	9.4% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	10,900 sq km (2000 est.)	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force	7.3 million (2000)	1.758 million (2003)
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: 5.07% permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001)	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)
Languages	French (official), Malagasy (official)	Spanish (official), English
Legal system	based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22	unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 56.95 years male: 54.57 years female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)	total population: 76.63 years male: 74.07 years female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references	Africa	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 registered in other countries: 1 (2005)	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
Military branches	People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie	no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$44.6 million (2004)	$64 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (2004)	0.4% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 41,709 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 26 June (1960)	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality	noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards	periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources	graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower	hydropower
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	refined products 242 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]	Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM	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	18,040,341 (July 2005 est.)	3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	50% (2004 est.)	20.6% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate	3.03% (2005 est.)	1.52% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)	AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Railways	total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)	total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)
Religions	indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%	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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 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 (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)	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	59,600 (2003)	1.132 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	279,500 (2003)	528,047 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)	20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate	5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)	2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	6.7% (2003 est.)
Waterways	600 km (2004)	730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

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