Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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. 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.
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Location:
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Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 00 N, 84 00 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than West Virginia
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Land boundaries:
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total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
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Coastline:
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1,290 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
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Terrain:
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coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
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Natural resources:
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hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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1,080 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 26.4 years
male: 26 years
female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.45% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.02 years
male: 74.43 years
female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.6% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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12,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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900 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
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Ethnic groups:
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white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
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Government type:
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democratic republic
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Capital:
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name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
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Independence:
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15 September 1821 (from Spain)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
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Constitution:
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7 November 1949
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Legal system:
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based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)
election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; 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 [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]
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International organization participation:
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BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC
consulate(s): San Francisco
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 519-2000
FAX: [506] 519-2305
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Flag description:
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five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
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Economy - overview:
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Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained at a stable 20% 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. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, bit are also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA implementation would result in an improved investment climate.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$48.77 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$20.77 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.7% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$12,000 (2006 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 8.6%
industry: 31%
services: 60.4% (2006 est.)
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Labor force:
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1.866 million (2006 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 20%
industry: 22%
services: 58% (1999 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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6.6% (2006 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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18% (2004 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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46.5 (2000)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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12.1% (2006 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $3.134 billion
expenditures: $3.475 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
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Public debt:
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53.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
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Industries:
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microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.4% (2006 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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8.4 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - consumption:
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7.574 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - exports:
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440 million kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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202 million kWh (2004)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - consumption:
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44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$-1.176 billion (2006 est.)
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Exports:
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$7.931 billion (2006 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
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Exports - partners:
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US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005)
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Imports:
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$10.88 billion (2006 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
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Imports - partners:
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US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$2.5 billion (2006 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$6.42 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
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Currency (code):
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Costa Rican colon (CRC)
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Exchange rates:
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Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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157 (2006)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 9 (2006)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 125
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 101 (2006)
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Pipelines:
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refined products 242 km (2006)
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Railways:
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total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)
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Roadways:
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total: 35,330 km
paved: 8,621 km
unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)
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Waterways:
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730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)
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Ports and terminals:
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Caldera, Puerto Limon
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This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007
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