The 1994 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Location:
Middle America, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Area:
total area:
51,100 sq km
land area:
50,660 sq km
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 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation, largely a result of land clearing for cattle ranching;
soil erosion
natural hazards:
subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active
volcanoes
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Life Conservation

@Costa Rica, People

Population: 3,342,154 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.31% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 25.48 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 3.52 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.8 years male: 75.88 years female: 79.81 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1994 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 est.) 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)
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
Executive branch:
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); election last
held 6 February 1994 (next to be held February 1998); results -
President FIGUERES (PLN party) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC
party) 47.5%
cabinet:
Cabinet; selected by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa):
elections last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held February 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (61 total) PLN 28, PUSC
29, minority parties 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Political parties and leaders:
National Liberation Party (PLN), Manuel AGUILAR Bonilla; 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)
Member of:
AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gonzalo FACIO Segreda
chancery:
2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 234-2945
FAX:
(202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general:
Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego,
San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s):
Austin and Raleigh
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d' Affaires Joseph BECELIA
embassy:
Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address:
APO AA 34020
telephone:
[506] 20-39-39
FAX:
(506) 20-2305
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

@Costa Rica, Economy

Overview:
In 1993 the economy grew at an estimated 6.5%, compared with 7.7% in
1992 and 2.1% in 1991. Increases in agricultural production (coffee
and bananas), nontraditional exports, and tourism are responsible for
much of the growth. Inflation in 1993 dropped to 9% from 17% in 1992
and 25% in 1991, an indication of basic financial stability.
Unemployment is officially reported at 4.0%, but much underemployment
remains.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19.3 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6.5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$5,900 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (1993); much underemployment
Budget:
revenues:
$1.1 billion
expenditures:
$1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991
est.)
Exports:
$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities:
coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar
partners:
US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France
Imports:
$2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
partners:
US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany
External debt:
$3.2 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 10.5% (1992); accounts for 22% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
927,000 kW
production:
3.612 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
1,130 kWh (1992)
Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials,
fertilizer, plastic products
Agriculture:
accounts for 19% of GDP and 70% of exports; cash commodities - coffee,
beef, bananas, sugar; other food crops include corn, rice, beans,
potatoes; normally self-sufficient in food except for grain; depletion
of forest resources resulting in lower timber output
Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
illicit production of cannabis on small scattered plots
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.4 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $935
million; Communist countries (1971-89), $27 million
Currency:
1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 150.67 (December 1993), 142.17
(1993), 134.51 (1992), 122.43 (1991), 91.58 (1990), 81.504 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Costa Rica, Communications

Railroads:
950 km total, all 1.067-meter gauge; 260 km electrified
Highways:
total:
35,536 km
paved:
5,600 km
unpaved:
gravel and earth 29,936 km (1991)
Inland waterways:
about 730 km, seasonally navigable
Pipelines:
petroleum products 176 km
Ports:
Puerto Limon, Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puntarenas
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,878 GRT/4,506 DWT
Airports:
total:
184
usable:
165
with permanent-surface runways:
27
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
9
Telecommunications:
very good domestic telephone service; 292,000 telephones; connection
into Central American Microwave System; broadcast stations - 71 AM, no
FM, 18 TV, 13 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Costa Rica, Defense Forces