Compare Oman (2003) - Costa Rica (2005)

Compare Oman (2003) z Costa Rica (2005)

	Oman (2003)	Costa Rica (2005)

Administrative divisions	6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam, Zufar; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.2% (male 603,664; female 580,469) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 934,621; female 620,158) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 36,504; female 31,709) (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports	139 (2002)	149 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)	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: 133 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 32 (2002)	total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 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	slightly smaller than Kansas	slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background	In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.	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	37.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	18.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $9.2 billion expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)	revenues: $2.497 billion expenditures: $3.094 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	Muscat	San Jose
Climate	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline	2,092 km	1,290 km
Constitution	none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens	7 November 1949
Country name	conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman	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	Omani rial (OMR)	-
Death rate	3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$5.7 billion (2002 est.)	$5.962 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203 FAX: [968] 699771	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 Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani AL-KHUSSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933	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, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa consulate(s): Austin
Disputes - international	boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unresolved
Economic aid - recipient	$76.4 million (1995)	-
Economy - overview	Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local workers. Another government objective is the development of the nation's gas resources.	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. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. 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	8.625 billion kWh (2001)	5.733 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	477 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	59 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	9.274 billion kWh (2001)	6.614 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources	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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary	chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); 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 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); 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 February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
Exports	NA (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners	Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%, UAE 9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)	US 46.9%, Netherlands 5.3%, Guatemala 4.4% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band	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 - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3% industry: 55% services: 42% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.7% services: 61.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.2% (2002 est.)	3.9% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	21 00 N, 57 00 E	10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil	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 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)	total: 35,303 km paved: 4,236 km unpaved: 31,067 km (2002)
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 (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners	UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)	US 46.1%, Japan 5.9%, Mexico 5.1%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)
Independence	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	4% (2000 est.)	3.1% (2004 est.)
Industries	crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate	total: 21.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-0.5% (2002 est.)	11.5% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO	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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	620 sq km (1998 est.)	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force	920,000 (2002 est.)	1.81 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use	arable land: 0.08% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.7% (1998 est.)	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects	Spanish (official), English
Legal system	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; 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 Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: NA	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: 72.58 years male: 70.4 years female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)	total population: 76.84 years male: 74.26 years female: 79.55 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references	Middle East	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT ships by type: container 1, passenger 2 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)	total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2005)
Military branches	Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police	no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$2.424 billion (FY01)	$64.2 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	12.2% (FY01)	0.4% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 788,429 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	14 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 29,485 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas	hydropower
Net migration rate	0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	gas 3,599 km; oil 3,187 km (2003)	refined products 242 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	none	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	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	2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)	4,016,173 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	18% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	3.38% (2003 est.)	1.48% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut	Caldera, Puerto Limon
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)	AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Railways	0 km	total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)
Religions	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu	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: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.28 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 (2005 est.)
Suffrage	in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis al-Shura	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat	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	201,000 (1997)	1.132 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	59,822 (1997)	528,047 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)	20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Terrain	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate	5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)	2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	6.6% (2004 est.)
Waterways	none	730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

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.