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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Civil Guard, Coast Guard, Air Section, Rural Assistance Guard; note - the Constitution prohibits armed forces

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 2.0% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 917,566 males fit for military service: 616,420 males reach military age (18) annually: 33,504 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

very good domestic telephone service domestic: NA international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

281,042 (1983 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

340,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber (depletion of forest resources has resulted in declining timber output)

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. Recent trends have been disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in 1995, the lowest rate of growth since 1991's 2.1%. Inflation rose dramatically to 22.5% from 13.5% in 1994, well above the government's own projection of 18%. Unemployment rose from 4.0% in 1994 to 5.2% in 1995, and substantial underemployment continues. These economic woes are likely to be exacerbated in 1996 by a standby arrangement reached with the IMF on 29 November 1995. To restore fiscal balance, the government agreed to curb inflation, reduce the fiscal deficit, increase domestic savings, and improve public sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector. Costa Rica signed a free trade agreement with Mexico in 1994.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 1,040,000 kW production: 4.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,164 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 193.93 (December 1995), 179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993), 134.51 (1992), 122.43 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar partners: US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$4 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $18.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$5,400 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

2.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots

Imports [time series]

$3 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum partners: US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

10.5% (1992)

Industries [time series]

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

22.5% (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

868,300 by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.2% (1995 est.); much underemployment

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 51,100 sq km land area: 50,660 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia note: includes Isla del Coco

Climate [time series]

tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)

Coastline [time series]

1,290 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates [time series]

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

1,180 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 45% forest and woodland: 34% other: 8%

Location [time series]

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

hydropower potential

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Capital [time series]

San Jose

Constitution [time series]

9 November 1949

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994), First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994) were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998); results - President FIGUERES (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5% cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Austin

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[506] 220-2305

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation [time series]

AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)) [time series]

elections last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (61 total) PLN 28, PUSC 29, minority parties 4

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD), Liberation Party affiliate; Confederated Union of Workers (CUT), Communist Party affiliate; Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD), Communist Party affiliate; Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for Economic Development (ANFE); Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL), rightwing militants; National Association of Educators (ANDE); Federation of Public Service Workers (FTSP)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Liberation Party (PLN), Rolando ARAYA; Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier; Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto VARGAS Carbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick ARDON Ramirez; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin CHACON Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose ECHEVERRIA Brealey; Democratic Force Party (FD), Isaac Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

democratic republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 35% (male 612,624; female 582,566) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,061,703; female 1,038,403) 65 years and over: 4% (male 77,773; female 90,014) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.84 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.14 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

white (including mestizo) 96%, black 2%, Indian 1%, Chinese 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.72 years male: 73.31 years female: 78.24 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 94.8% male: 94.7% female: 95%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Net migration rate [time series]

0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

3,463,083 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.06% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.86 male(s)/female all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.9 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 145 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 16 with paved runways under 914 m: 97 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 29 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 35,560 km paved: 5,608 km unpaved: 29,952 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products 176 km

Ports [time series]

Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Railways [time series]

total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) note: the entire system was scheduled to be shut down on 31 June 1995 because of insolvency

Waterways [time series]

about 730 km, seasonally navigable