LOCATION:

Location:
  
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

AREA:

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

POPULATION

Population: 4,016,173

(July 2005 est.)

AGE STRUCTURE:

Age structure:
  
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361)
 
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664)

65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563)
 
(2005 est.)

MEDIAN AGE:

Median age:
  
total: 26.03 years
male: 25.59 years
female: 26.5 years

(2005 est.)

POPULATION GROWTH:

Population growth rate: 1.48%

(2005 est.)

INFANT MORTALITY RATE:

Infant mortality rate:
   
total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births

(2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS-ADULT PREVALENCE RATE:

HIV/AIDS Adult prevalence rate: 0.6 %

HIV/AIDS- PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS :

Ages 15-49
12,000

low estimate: 6,000

high estimate: 20,000

HIV/AIDS-DEATH

Adults and Children deaths: 900

low estimate: less than 400

high estimate: greater than 1,600

ETHNIC GROUPS:

Ethnic groups:
  
white (including mestizo) 94%,
black 3%,
Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%,
other 1%

RELIGIONS:

Religions:
  
Roman Catholic 76.3%,
Evangelical 13.7%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,
other Protestant 0.7%,
other 4.8%,
none 3.2%

LANGUAGES:

Languages:
  
Spanish (official), English

LITERACY:

Literacy:
  
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
 
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1%

(2003 est.)

GOVERNMENT TYPE:

Government type: democratic republic

CAPITAL:

Capital: San Jose

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:

Administrative divisions:
  
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

INDEPENDENCE:

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

ECONOMY:

Economy - overview:
  
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

GDP:

GDP:
   
purchasing power parity - $37.97 billion

(2004 est.)

POPULATION BELOW POVERT LINE:

Population below poverty line: 18%

(2004 est.)

INFLATION RATE:

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.5%

(2004 est.)

UNEMPLOYMENT:

Unemployment rate: 6.6%

(2004 est.)

EXCHANGE RATES:

Exchange rates:
  
Costa Rican colones per US dollar -
439.485 (2004),
398.663 (2003),
359.817 (2002),
328.871 (2001),
308.187 (2000).

Illicit Drugs:

Illicit drugs:
  
Transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising.