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Compare Syria (2001) - Costa Rica (2002)

Compare Syria (2001) z Costa Rica (2002)

 Syria (2001)Costa Rica (2002)
 SyriaCosta Rica
Administrative divisions 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years:
39.92% (male 3,440,060; female 3,238,576)

15-64 years:
56.87% (male 4,868,816; female 4,644,870)

65 years and over:
3.21% (male 261,036; female 275,450) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766)


15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641)


65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 100 (2000 est.) 152 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
24

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 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:
76

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
11

under 914 m:
63 (2000 est.)
total: 121


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 93 (2002)
Area total:
185,180 sq km

land:
184,050 sq km

water:
1,130 sq km

note:
includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly smaller than West Virginia
Background Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. 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 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$2.25 billion

expenditures:
$5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $1.91 billion


expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
Capital Damascus San Jose
Climate mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 193 km 1,290 km
Constitution 13 March 1973 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form:
Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form:
Syria

local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form:
Suriyah

former:
United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
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 Syrian pound (SYP) Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate 5.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $22 billion (2000 est.) $4.6 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER

embassy:
Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address:
P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone:
[963] (11) 333-2814

FAX:
[963] (11) 224-7938
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 Rustum al-ZU'BI

chancery:
2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6313

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-9548
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, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa


consulate(s): Austin
Disputes - international Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976 legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
Economic aid - recipient $199 million (1997 est.) -
Economy - overview Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The government recognizes the need to open the economy to additional domestic and foreign investment. 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. 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 and with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector.
Electricity - consumption 16.684 billion kWh (1999) 5.895 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 532 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 22 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 17.94 billion kWh (1999) 6.887 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
57.64%

hydro:
42.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 1%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 16% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point:
Mount Hermon 2,814 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
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 Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997) Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 343.08 (January 2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)

head of government:
Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Khalid RA'D (since 13 March 2000), Muhammad NAJI 'UTRI (since 13 March 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results:
Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note:
Hafiz al-ASAD died 10 June 2000; 20 June 2000 the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council 25 June 2000
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 $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $5 billion (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.) coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners Germany 21%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Turkey 8% (1999 est.) US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band
GDP purchasing power parity - $50.9 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
29%

industry:
22%

services:
49% (1997)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 37%


services: 52% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2000 est.) 0.3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.) 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 2 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
41,451 km

paved:
9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)

unpaved:
31,876 km (1997)
total: 37,273 km


paved: 7,827 km


unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 35% (2001) (2001)
Illicit drugs a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets 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 $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $6.5 billion (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.) raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners France 11%, Italy 8%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, China 4% (1999 est.) US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -2.1% (2001 est.)
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate 33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 12.1% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land 9,060 sq km (1993 est.) 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 4.7 million (1998 est.) 1.9 million (1999) (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.) agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
2,253 km

border countries:
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land:
28%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
22% (1993 est.)
arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.48%


other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; 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 unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats
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:
68.77 years

male:
67.63 years

female:
69.98 years (2001 est.)
total population: 76.22 years


male: 73.68 years


female: 78.89 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
70.8%

male:
85.7%

female:
55.8% (1997 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.5%


male: 95.5%


female: 95.5% (1999 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Middle 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:
41 NM

territorial sea:
35 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 425,392 GRT/612,097 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 11, cargo 117, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending $69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.9% (FY98) 1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
4,384,528 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 1,058,283 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
2,448,630 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
200,859 (2001 est.)
males: 39,411 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun:
Syrian(s)

adjective:
Syrian
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km petroleum products 176 km
Political parties and leaders National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front after the death of Hafiz al-ASAD on 10 June 2000]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU [Sami SOUFAN]; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al-ASAD]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL] 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 conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence 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 16,728,808

note:
in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2001 est.)
3,834,934 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 15%-25% 21% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 2.54% (2001 est.) 1.61% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Radios 4.15 million (1997) 980,000 (1997)
Railways total:
2,750 km

standard gauge:
2,423 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge

note:
rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2000)
total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)
Religions Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 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 (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic:
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
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 1.313 million (1997) 450,000 (1998)


note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2000 est.) 5.2% (2000 est.)
Waterways 870 km (minimal economic importance) 730 km (seasonally navigable)
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