*Coral Sea Islands, Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorages only
*Coral Sea Islands, Defense Forces
Note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal
Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
*Costa Rica, Geography
Location:
Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Area:
total area:
51,100 km2
land area:
50,660 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
note:
includes Isla del Coco
Land boundaries:
total 639 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline:
1,290 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Natural resources:
hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land:
6%
permanent crops:
7%
meadows and pastures:
45%
forest and woodland:
34%
other:
8%
Irrigated land:
1,180 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent
flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes;
deforestation; soil erosion
*Costa Rica, People
Population:
3,264,776 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.38% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
26.07 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
3.57 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.49 years
male:
75.56 years
female:
79.52 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.11 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Costa Rican(s)
adjective:
Costa Rican
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 (1990)
total population:
93%
male:
93%
female:
93%
Labor force:
868,300
by occupation:
industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%,
other 4.9% (1985 est.)
*Costa Rica, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form:
Costa Rica local long form:
Republica de Costa Rica
local short form:
Costa Rica
Digraph:
CS
Type:
democratic republic
Capital:
San Jose
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Political parties and leaders:
National Liberation Party (PLN), Carlos Manuel CASTILLO Morales; 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; Progressive Party (PP), Isaac
Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin CHACON
Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose ECHEVERRIA Brealey
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)
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
Legislative Assembly:
last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (57 total) PUSC 29, PLN 25, PVP/PPC 1, regional
parties 2
President:
last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results - Rafael
Angel CALDERON Fournier 51%, Carlos Manuel CASTILLO 47%
Executive branch:
president, two vice presidents, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)