|
Background:
|
Costa
Rica is a Central American success story: since the late
19th century, only two brief periods of violence have
marred its democratic development. Although still a largely
agricultural country, it has achieved a relatively high
standard of living. Land ownership is widespread. Tourism
is a rapidly expanding industry. |
|
|
|
|
Geography
|
|
Location:
|
Middle
America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama |
|
Geographic
coordinates:
|
10
00 N, 84 00 W |
|
Map
references:
|
Central
America and the Caribbean |
|
Area:
|
total:
51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco |
|
Area
- comparative:
|
slightly
smaller than West Virginia |
|
Land
boundaries:
|
total:
639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330
km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,290
km |
|
Climate:
|
tropical
and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy
season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
|
Elevation
extremes:
|
lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
|
|
|
|
People
|
|
Population:
|
3,773,057
(July 2001 est.) |
|
Age
structure:
|
0-14
years: 31.38% (male 605,728; female 578,128)
15-64 years: 63.37% (male 1,209,084; female 1,181,754)
65 years and over: 5.25% (male 92,314; female 106,049)
(2001 est.) |
|
Population
growth rate:
|
1.65%
(2001 est.) |
|
Birth
rate:
|
20.27
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
|
Death
rate:
|
4.3
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
|
Ethnic
groups:
|
white
(including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese
1%, other 1% |
|
Religions:
|
Roman
Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% |
|
Languages:
|
Spanish
(official), English spoken around Puerto Limon |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95% (1995 est.) |
|
|
|
|
Government
|
|
Country
name:
|
conventional
long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica |
|
Government
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:
|
7
November 1949 |
|
Suffrage:
|
18
years of age; universal and compulsory |
|
Flag
description:
|
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 |
|
|
|
|
Military
|
|
Military
branches:
|
Coast
Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force
(Fuerza Publica)
note: Costa Rica has no military, only domestic
police forces, including the Coast Guard and Air Section
|
