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NAVIGATION
Republic of Costa Rica
Republica de Costa Rica
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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 expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Middle 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
note: includes Isla del Coco water: 440 sq km land: 50,660 sq km |
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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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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 4.41%
permanent crops: 5.48% other: 90.11% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,260 sq km (1998 est.) |
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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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,834,934 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.61% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 76.22 years
female: 78.89 years (2002 est.) male: 73.68 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.54% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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12,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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750 (1999 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%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.5% male: 95.5% female: 95.5% (1999 est.) |