| Key Demographic
Features of Costa Rica* |
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Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the
Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua
and Panama
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
People
Population: 3,463,083 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
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.)
Population growth rate: 2.06% (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births
(1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.72 years
male: 73.31 years
female: 78.24 years (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions: white (including mestizo) 96%,
black 2%, Indian 1%, Chinese 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around
Puerto Limon
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995
est.)
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95%
Government
Country Abbreviation: CS
Type of government: democratic republic
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September
(1821)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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
Other political or pressure groups: 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)
International organization participation: 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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [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
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 220-2305
Flag: 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
Economy
Economic overview: 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.4 billion (1995
est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $5,400 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (1995 est.); much
underemployment
Communications
Telephones: 281,042 (1983 est.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 340,000 (1993 est.)
*Source: World Factbook 1996, U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency
The World Factbook contains many additional demographic
variables that may be of interest to persons who wish to
examine a particular country in more depth. To access the
World Factbook, Click
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