|
The Country
| |
COSTA RICA AT A GLANCE
| Official Name: |
Republic of Costa Rica |
| Capital: |
San José |
| Area: |
51,100 square kilometers (19,652 square miles)
|
| Location: |
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific
Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama |
| Administrative Divisions: |
7 provinces (Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia,
Limón, Puntarenas, San José) |
| Population: |
4,476,614 million (June 2008) |
| Official Language: |
Spanish (official), English |
| Local Currency: |
Colón (named after Christopher Columbus) |
| Official Religion: |
Roman Catholic, but there is freedom of expression of other
beliefs |
| System of Government: |
Democratic Republic |
| Executive Branch: |
Chief of State and Head of Government: President, Dr.
Oscar Arias; First Vice President, Mrs. Laura Chinchilla; Second Vice President,
vacant. The cabinet is selected by the President. The President and Vice
Presidents are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
last election was held on February 5, 2006. |
| Legislative Branch: |
Unicameral Legislative Assembly (57 seats). Members are
elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms. Last election was held
on February 3, 2002. |
| Judicial Branch: |
Supreme Court (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by
the Legislative Assembly). |
| Army: |
Abolished in 1949 |
| Independence: |
15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| Constitution: |
7 November 1949 |
| Geography: |
Rugged highlands are found throughout most of the country, ranging
from approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level).
The Guanacaste Mountain Range, Central Mountain Range, and Talamanca Mountain
Range are the main mountain ranges extending the entire length of the country.
There are several active volcanoes (Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano, Rincon de la
Vieja Volcano and Turrialba Volcano) and the country’s highest mountain (Chirripo
Hill) with a height of 3,819 m/12,530 ft. The country has a relatively long
coastline in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. |
| Climate: |
Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season
(May to November); cooler in highlands |
| Land Use: |
Arable land, 4.41%; permanent crops, 5.88%; other, 89.71% (2001).
|
Human Feature
| Density: |
78.4 inhabitants per square kilometer (203.5 inhabitants per sq. mile)
|
| Urban/Rural: |
59% urban, 39% rural |
| Sex Distribution: |
49.86% male, 50.14% female |
| Age Structure: |
0-14 years (29.5%); 15-64 years (65%); 65 years and over (5.5%)
|
Standard of Living Indicators
| Life expectancy: |
77.7 years |
| Literacy rate: |
96% |
| Educational Institutions: |
6147 primary and secondary schools and 50 universities |
| Education expenditures: |
5% of GDP (2002). |
| Youth literacy: |
98.3% |
| Population served with piped water: |
99% |
| Public health services coverage: |
90.4% of population |
| Health expenditures: |
27.8% of government budget |
| Access to telephone service: |
92% of population |
Economic Indicators
| GDP in millions of US$: |
26,230.5 (2007) |
| Per Capita GDP (US$): |
5,859,4 (2007) |
| Exports (FOB) in millions of US$: |
9,337 (2007) |
| Imports (CIF) in millions of US$: |
12,955,2 (2007) |
| Inflation Rate: |
10.81 % (2007) |
| Main Exports: |
Electronic components, textiles, bananas, coffee, medical devices,
pineapples, foliage and ornamentals, fish and seafood, processed foods. |
| Main Industries: |
microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products. |
National Symbols
 Flag: |
The present flag was constituted in September 1848 when Costa Rica
achieved the status of Republic. The flag is formed by five horizontal stripes:
the first and the fifth are blue, the second and the fourth are white, and in
the middle a red stripe double the width of each of the other four stripes. |
 Emblem: |
It was constituted in 1848. Three volcanoes and a vast valley stretching
between two oceans form it, and in each of the oceans there is a merchant ship.
In the horizon, there is a rising sun between the blue sky and the blue ocean.
Two wreaths of myrtle leaves joined by a ribbon bearing the inscription
"República de Costa Rica" enclose the national seal. Seven stars forming an arch
represent the seven provinces of the republic. The crown is formed by a blue
ribbon with the inscription "América Central". |
|
National Anthem: |
The music of the Costa Rican National Anthem (Himno Nacional de
Costa Rica) was composed in 1852 by Don Manuel María Gutiérrez (1829-1887),
director of the Marching Band. |
| National Flower: |
Guaria Morada (Cattleya skinneri). This is a native species in
the American continent and grows nationwide without any problem. |
| National Tree: |
Guanacaste Tree (Enterolobium ciclocarpum).
|
| National Bird: |
Yiguirro (Turdus grayi). |
| Typical Ox-Cart: |
In 1988 the Costa Rican ox-cart ("la carreta costarricense")
was established as the national symbol of work. Drawn by a team of oxen, the ox-cart
was used during the colonial period for the transportation of sugar cane,
tobacco, and coffee. Thus, it became a very important factor in the development
of agricultural activity of Costa Rica. In the present, the ox-cart is one of
the most representative handcrafted objects in Costa Rican culture. |
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