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Compare Saint Barthelemy (2008) - Costa Rica (2003)

Compare Saint Barthelemy (2008) z Costa Rica (2003)

 Saint Barthelemy (2008)Costa Rica (2003)
 Saint BarthelemyCosta Rica
Administrative divisions - 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure - 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 - coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 1 151 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1
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 21 sq km total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. 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 - 19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget - revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital name: Gustavia


geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


daylight savings: +1 hour, starts 20 March and ends 17 October
San Jose
Climate tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid) tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline - 1,290 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy


conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy


local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy


local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
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 - 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Dependency status overseas collectivity of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas collectivity 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 collectivity 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 - legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economy - overview The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. 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 - 6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 128 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production - 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: Caribbean Ocean 0 m


highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker 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 white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia) white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) 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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)


head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council


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 Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term


election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
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)
Exports - commodities - coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners - US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal 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 - $32 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 9%


industry: 30%


services: 61% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 2.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 90 N, 62 85 W 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note - 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: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - 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)
Imports - commodities - raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners - US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)
Independence none (overseas collectivity of France) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate - 2.9% (2002 est.)
Industries - microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate - 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) - 9.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation UPU 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 - 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force - 1.9 million (1999)
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: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages French (primary), English Spanish (official), English
Legal system the laws of France, where applicable, apply based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 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: 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: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims - continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - 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; 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: 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 Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality - noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards - occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important hydropower
Net migration rate - 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD] 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 - 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 6,852 (1999 March census) 3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - 20.6% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate - 1.56% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations - 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, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness 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: 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: fully integrated access


domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems


international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
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 - 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular - 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations - 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate - 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Transportation - note nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles) -
Unemployment rate - 6.3% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 730 km (seasonally navigable)
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