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Compare Reunion (2004) - Costa Rica (2003)

Compare Reunion (2004) z Costa Rica (2003)

 Reunion (2004)Costa Rica (2003)
 ReunionCosta Rica
Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years: 30.9% (male 121,050; female 115,440)


15-64 years: 63.1% (male 238,553; female 245,236)


65 years and over: 6% (male 18,626; female 27,248) (2004 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 sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 2 (2003 est.) 151 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
Area total: 2,517 sq km


land: 2,507 sq km


water: 10 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 Rhode Island slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route. 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 19.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.26 billion


expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1998)
revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Saint-Denis San Jose
Climate tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 207 km 1,290 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: Department of Reunion


conventional short form: Reunion


local long form: none


local short form: Ile de la Reunion


former: Bourbon Island
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 euro (EUR) Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external NA $4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Dependency status overseas department of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France) 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 none (overseas department of France) 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 none legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economic aid - recipient $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.) -
Economy - overview The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France. 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 1.005 billion kWh (2001) 6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 128 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.08 billion kWh (2001) 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: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 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, 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 French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 16 August 2004)


head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000) US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description the flag of France is used 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 - $4.348 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 19%


services: 73% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2003 est.) 2.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 06 S, 55 36 E 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean 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: 2,724 km


paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)


unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)
total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


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


highest 10%: NA
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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000) US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)
Independence none (overseas department of France) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate NA 2.9% (2002 est.)
Industries sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate total: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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) NA 9.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation InOC, UPU, WFTU 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 120 sq km (1998 est.) 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 309,900 (2000) 1.9 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000) 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: 13.6%


permanent crops: 1.2%


other: 85.2% (2001)
arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Creole widely used Spanish (official), English
Legal system French law based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10, UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens 22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7


note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1
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: 73.69 years


male: 70.29 years


female: 77.26 years (2004 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: 88.9%


male: 87%


female: 90.8% (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 Madagascar Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references World Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT


by type: chemical tanker 1


foreign-owned: Sweden 1


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


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 202,385 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 103,073 (2004 est.) 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: 7,070 (2004 est.) males: 41,453 (2003 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)


adjective: Reunionese
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources fish, arable land, hydropower hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA] 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 NA 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 766,153 (July 2004 est.) 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.42% (2004 est.) 1.56% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Le Port, Pointe des Galets Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001) AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Railways - total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995) 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: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 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 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis


domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
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 300,000 est (2001) 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular 489,800 (2002) 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001) 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 2.5 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 36% (1999 est.) 6.3% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 730 km (seasonally navigable)
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