ARCHIVE // CR // 2016

Costa Rica

2016 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
multiple privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2007)
Internet country code [time series]
.cr
Internet users [time series]
total: 2.877 million | percent of population: 59.8% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage | 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; landing points for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), MAYA-1, and the Pan American Crossing submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2015)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 859,514 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 7.536 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 157 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef, poultry, dairy; timber
Budget [time series]
revenues: $7.813 billion | expenditures: $10.93 billion (2015 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-5.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179
Central bank discount rate [time series]
21.5% (31 December 2010) | 23% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 3
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
14.24% (31 December 2015 est.) | 14.9% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45
Current account balance [time series]
-$2.135 billion (2015 est.) | -$2.34 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Debt - external [time series]
$23.18 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $20.97 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
50.3 (2009) | 45.9 (1997) | country comparison to the world: 19
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Prior to the global economic crisis, Costa Rica enjoyed stable economic growth. The economy contracted in 2009 but resumed growth at about 4% per year in 2010-15. While traditional agricultural exports of bananas, coffee, sugar, and beef are still the backbone of commodity export trade, a variety of industrial and specialized agricultural products have broadened export trade in recent years. High value-added goods and services, including medical devices, have further bolstered exports. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. | Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels, as well as the incentives offered in the free-trade zones; Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force on 1 January 2009 after significant delays within the Costa Rican legislature. CAFTA-DR has increased foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy, including the insurance and telecommunications sectors. However, poor infrastructure, high energy costs, bureaucracy, weak investor protection, and legal uncertainty due to the difficulty of enforcing contracts and overlapping and at times conflicting responsibilities between agencies, remain impediments to greater competitiveness. | Costa Rica’s economy also faces challenges due to a rising fiscal deficit, rising public debt, and relatively low levels of domestic revenue. Poverty has remained around 20-25% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Unlike the rest of Central America, Costa Rica is not highly dependent on remittances, which in 2014 represented 1% of GDP. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica, legally and illegally, are an important source of mostly unskilled labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system.
Exchange rates [time series]
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - | 534.57 (2015 est.) | 538.32 (2014 est.) | 538.32 (2013 est.) | 502.9 (2012 est.) | 505.66 (2011 est.)
Exports [time series]
$9.503 billion (2015 est.) | $9.271 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Exports - commodities [time series]
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; beef; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners [time series]
US 33.6%, China 6.2%, Mexico 4.6%, Nicaragua 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2%, Guatemala 4% (2015)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$52.9 billion (2015 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$74.89 billion (2015 est.) | $72.23 billion (2014 est.) | $70.15 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 94
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 64.9% | government consumption: 18.1% | investment in fixed capital: 22.5% | investment in inventories: -3.5% | exports of goods and services: 30.9% | imports of goods and services: -32.9% (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 5.6% | industry: 19.2% | services: 75.2% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$15,500 (2015 est.) | $15,100 (2014 est.) | $14,900 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 104
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3.7% (2015 est.) | 3% (2014 est.) | 1.8% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74
Gross national saving [time series]
14.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 14.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | 15% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 1.2% | highest 10%: 39.5% (2009 est.)
Imports [time series]
$14.38 billion (2015 est.) | $14.84 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Imports - commodities [time series]
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials
Imports - partners [time series]
US 45.3%, China 9.8%, Mexico 7.1% (2015)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144
Industries [time series]
medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
0.8% (2015 est.) | 4.5% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77
Labor force [time series]
2.268 million | note: official estimate; excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 14% | industry: 22% | services: 64% (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$2.015 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $1.443 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | $1.445 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100
Population below poverty line [time series]
24.8% (2011 est.)
Public debt [time series]
60.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 56.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$7.834 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $7.211 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79
Stock of broad money [time series]
$21.55 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $18 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$3.154 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $2.768 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$28.75 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $25.66 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$30.53 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $27.25 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$5.273 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.643 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
14.8% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197
Unemployment rate [time series]
9.4% (2015 est.) | 9.6% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
7.2 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115
Crude oil - exports [time series]
1,300 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176
Crude oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 119
Electricity - consumption [time series]
9.2 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93
Electricity - exports [time series]
600 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
30.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
55.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
13.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24
Electricity - imports [time series]
800 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
2.9 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - production [time series]
10 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 24,362 | electrification - total population: 99.5% | electrification - urban areas: 99.9% | electrification - rural areas: 98.3% (2013)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 126
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
53,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
51,300 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 51,100 sq km | land: 51,060 sq km | water: 40 sq km | note: includes Isla del Coco | country comparison to the world: 130
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate [time series]
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline [time series]
1,290 km
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 746 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
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
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Geographic coordinates [time series]
10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
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
Irrigated land [time series]
1,015 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 661 km | border countries (2): Nicaragua 313 km, Panama 348 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 37.1% | arable land 4.9%; permanent crops 6.7%; permanent pasture 25.5% | forest: 51.5% | other: 11.4% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Central 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]
territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes | volcanism: Arenal (elev. 1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (elev. 3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba
Natural resources [time series]
hydropower
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population
Terrain [time series]
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Capital [time series]
name: San Jose | geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W | time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: yes | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Constitution [time series]
previous 1825; latest effective 8 November 1949; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
Country name [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 | etymology: the name means "rich coast" in Spanish and was first applied in the early colonial period of the 16th century
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Stafford Fitzgerald HANEY (since 30 June 2015) | embassy: Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose | mailing address: APO AA 34020 | telephone: [506] 2519-2000 | FAX: [506] 2519-2305
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Roman MACAYA Hayes (since 18 September 2014) | chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 480-2200 | FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 | consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (FL), Washington DC | consulate(s): San Francisco
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera (since 8 May 2014); First Vice President Helio FALLAS Venega (since 8 May 2014); Second Vice President Ana Helena CHACON Echeverria (since 8 May 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera (since 8 May 2014); First Vice President Helio FALLAS Venegas (since 8 May 2014); Second Vice President Ana Helena CHACON Echeverria (since 8 May 2014) | cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president | elections/appointments: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote (40% threshold) for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); election last held on 2 February 2014 with a runoff on 6 April 2014 (next to be held in February 2018) | election results: Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera elected president; percent of vote - Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera (PAC) 77.8%; Johnny ARAYA (PLN) 22.2%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk placed toward the hoist side of the red band; Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutionary activity in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors into the national flag and a central red stripe was added; today the blue color is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance, white denotes peace, happiness, and wisdom, while red represents the blood shed for freedom, as well as the generosity and vibrancy of the people | note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand but with the blue and red colors reversed
Government type [time series]
presidential republic
Independence [time series]
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
International law organization participation [time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with 5 judges, and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8-year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly | subordinate courts: appellate courts; trial courts; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal
Legal system [time series]
civil law system based on Spanish civil code; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 7 provinces - by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 2 February 2014 (next to be held in February 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 18, PAC 13, FA 9, PUSC 8, PML 4, other 5
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica) | lyrics/music: Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ | note: adopted 1949; the anthem's music was originally written for an 1853 welcome ceremony for diplomatic missions from the US and UK; the lyrics were added in 1903
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
National symbol(s) [time series]
yiguirro (clay-colored robin); national colors: blue, white, red
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE [Oscar Andres LOPEZ Arias] | Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA [Ana Patricia MORA] | Citizen Action Party or PAC [Olivier PEREZ Gonzalez] | Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez] | Libertarian Movement Party or ML [Victor Danilo CUBERO Corrales] | National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes] | National Liberation Party or PLN [Bernal JIMENEZ] | National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO] | Patriotic Alliance [Jorge ARAYA Westover] | Popular Vanguard [Humberto VARGAS] | Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Gerardo VARGAS]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate) | Chamber of Coffee Growers | Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate) | Confederation of Workers Rerum Novarum or CTRN (National Libertion Party affiliate) | Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (National Libertion Party affiliate) | Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO | Costa Rican Solidarity Movement | Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP | Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP | National Association for Economic Development or ANFE | National Association of Educators or ANDE | National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Introduction
Background [time series]
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2011)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 22.82% (male 568,738/female 543,312) | 15-24 years: 16.75% (male 416,046/female 399,931) | 25-54 years: 43.99% (male 1,078,000/female 1,065,327) | 55-64 years: 8.9% (male 211,670/female 222,183) | 65 years and over: 7.54% (male 169,646/female 197,690) (2016 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
15.7 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122
Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]
total number: 39,082 | percentage: 5% (2002 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
1.1% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 130
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
76.2% (2011)
Death rate [time series]
4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201
Demographic profile [time series]
Costa Rica's political stability, high standard of living, and well-developed social benefits system set it apart from its Central American neighbors. Through the government's sustained social spending - almost 20% of GDP annually - Costa Rica has made tremendous progress toward achieving its goal of providing universal access to education, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Since the 1970s, expansion of these services has led to a rapid decline in infant mortality, an increase in life expectancy at birth, and a sharp decrease in the birth rate. The average number of children born per women has fallen from about 7 in the 1960s to 3.5 in the early 1980s to below replacement level today. Costa Rica's poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries, but it has stalled at around 20% for almost two decades. | Costa Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born, with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas, which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field.
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 45.4% | youth dependency ratio: 32.4% | elderly dependency ratio: 12.9% | potential support ratio: 7.7% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 99.6% of population | rural: 91.9% of population | total: 97.8% of population | urban: 0.4% of population | rural: 8.1% of population | total: 2.2% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
7% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 34
Ethnic groups [time series]
white or mestizo 83.6%, mulato 6.7%, indigenous 2.4%, black of African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
0.33% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
200 (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
10,000 (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
9.3% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 23
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 9 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Languages [time series]
Spanish (official), English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.6 years | male: 75.9 years | female: 81.4 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 97.8% | male: 97.7% | female: 97.8% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: intermediate | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea | vectorborne diseases: dengue fever | note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
SAN JOSE (capital) 1.17 million (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
25 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115
Median age [time series]
total: 30.9 years | male: 30.4 years | female: 31.3 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108
Nationality [time series]
noun: Costa Rican(s) | adjective: Costa Rican
Net migration rate [time series]
0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
24% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 73
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
Population [time series]
4,872,543 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124
Population distribution [time series]
roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population
Population growth rate [time series]
1.19% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 95.2% of population | rural: 92.3% of population | total: 94.5% of population | urban: 4.8% of population | rural: 7.7% of population | total: 5.5% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 15 years | male: 15 years | female: 16 years (2014)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female | total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.9 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 25% | male: 21.3% | female: 31.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 76.8% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.74% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Costa Rica and Nicaragua regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the International Court of Justice (ICJ); in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines; seizures of smuggled cash in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica from Nicaragua have risen in recent years (2008)
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
stateless persons: 1,806 (2015)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
current situation: Costa Rica is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Costa Rican women and children, as well as those from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries, are sex trafficked in Costa Rica; child sex tourism is a particular problem with offenders coming from the US and Europe; men and children from Central America, including indigenous Panamanians, and Asia are exploited in agriculture, construction, fishing, and commerce; Nicaraguans transit Costa Rica to reach Panama, where some are subjected to forced labor or sex trafficking | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Costa Rica does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts declined in 2014, with fewer prosecutions and no convictions and no actions taken against complicit government personnel; some officials conflated trafficking with smuggling, and authorities reported the diversion of funds to combat smuggling hindered anti-trafficking efforts; the government identified more victims than the previous year but did not make progress in ensuring that victims received adequate protective services; specialized services were limited and mostly provided by NGOs without government support, even from a dedicated fund for anti-trafficking efforts; victims services were virtually non-existent outside of the capital (2015)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
161 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 35
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 47 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 27 | under 914 m: 16 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 114 | 914 to 1,523 m: 18 | under 914 m: 96 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
TI (2016)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 1 | by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2010) | country comparison to the world: 149
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,617,075 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 9,284,160 mt-km (2015)
Pipelines [time series]
refined products 662 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Puerto Limon; Pacific Ocean - Caldera
Railways [time series]
total: 278 km | narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge | note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated (2014) | country comparison to the world: 124
Roadways [time series]
total: 39,018 km | paved: 10,133 km | unpaved: 28,885 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 90
Waterways [time series]
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 74