STATISTICS: COSTA RICA

Costa Rica Official name: Repblica de Costa Rica (Republic of Costa Rica). Form of government: unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Legislative Assembly ). Head of state and government: President. Capital: San Jos. Official language: Spanish. Official religion: Roman Catholicism. Monetary unit: 1 Costa Rican coln ( ) = 100 cntimos; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = 263.10; 1 = 447.93. Demography Population (1998): 3,533,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 179.1, persons per sq km 69.1. Urban-rural (1995): urban 44.0%; rural 56.0%. Sex distribution (1996): male 50.50%; female 49.50%. Age breakdown (1996): under 15, 34.5%; 15-29, 27.0%; 30-44, 21.2%; 45-59, 10.4%; 60-74, 5.4%; 75 and over, 1.5%. Population projection: (2000) 3,673,000; (2010) 4,333,000. Doubling time: 36 years. Ethnic composition (1993): white 87.0%; mestizo 7.0%; black/mulatto 3.0%; East Asian (mostly Chinese) 2.0%; Amerindian 1.0%. Religious affiliation (1995): Roman Catholic 86.0%; Protestant 9.3%, of which Pentecostal 4.9%; other Christian 2.4%; other 2.3%. Major cities (1996): San Jos 324,011{1} (metropolitan area 968,367); Limn 57,216; Alajuela 49,568; San Isidro de El General 41,912; Desamparados 39,221{2}. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1995): 23.8 (world avg. 25.0); legitimate 53.4%; illegitimate 46.6%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1995): 4.2 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 19.6 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1995): 2.8. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1995): 7.1. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1992): 1.1. Life expectancy at birth (1990-95): male 71.9 years; female 77.5 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1994): diseases of the circulatory system 126.6, of which ischemic heart disease 59.8, cerebrovascular disease 29.6; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 80.0; diseases of the respiratory system 40.6; accidents 36.1; diseases of the digestive system 24.6. National economy Budget (1995). Revenue: 427,400,000,000 (tax revenue 85.5%, of which social security contributions 25.9%, sales tax 20.2%, import duties 11.5%, income taxes 11.0%; nontax revenue 14.1%). Expenditures: 472,200,000,000 (health 20.7%, social security and welfare 19.9%, interest payments 19.3%, education 16.8%, general public services 6.7%, public order 6.2%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$2,889,000,000. Gross national product (1996): U.S.$9,081,000,000 (U.S.$2,640 per capita). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugarcane 3,620,000, bananas 2,100,000, pineapples 260,000, rice 186,400, oranges 165,000, coffee 142,600, cassava 125,000, plantains 105,000, palm oil 96,800, potatoes 63,900, other products include other tropical fruits, cut flowers, and ornamental plants grown for export; livestock (number of live animals) 1,585,000 cattle, 300,000 pigs, 16,500,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 4,806,000 cu m; fish catch (1994) 20,849, of which shrimp 5,468. Mining and quarrying (1995): limestone (1994) 1,700,000; gold 16,000 troy oz. Manufacturing (value added in '000,000; 1993): food products 51,902, of which bakery products 11,651; soft drinks and carbonated waters 11,044; malt liquors and malt 10,561; radio, television, and communications equipment 7,494; wearing apparel 6,943; plastic products 6,800. Construction (completed; 1995): 1,515,000 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1995) 4,843,000,000 (4,342,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) none (4,757,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 538,000 (1,396,000); natural gas, none (none). Population economically active (1994): total 1,187,005; activity rate of total population 38.7% (participation rates: ages 15-69, 59.7%; female 30.1%; unemployed [July 1996] 6.2%). Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$661,000,000; expenditures U.S.$332,000,000. Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1996) 4.1{3}; average annual household income (1996) 1,247,867 (U.S.$5,980){3}; sources of income (1987-88): wages and salaries 61.0%, self-employment 22.6%, transfers 9.6%, other 6.8%; expenditure (1987-88): food and beverages 39.1%, housing and energy 12.1%, transportation 11.6%, household furnishings 10.9%, other 26.3%. Land use (1994): forested 30.8%; meadows and pastures 45.8%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 10.4%; other 13.0%. Foreign trade{4} Imports (1995): U.S.$3,024,800,000 (raw materials for industry 37.2%; nondurable consumer goods 18.7%; capital goods for industry 14.4%; durable consumer goods 10.9%). Major import sources: U.S. 44.2%; Japan 5.5%; Venezuela 5.5%; Mexico 4.5%; other Central American countries 7.6%. Exports (1995): U.S.$2,624,100,000 (bananas 23.7%; coffee 15.5%; textiles, clothing, and footwear 5.7%{5}, fish and shrimp 4.6%{6}; ornamental plants, leaves, and flowers 4.3%). Major export destinations{7}: U.S. 50%; Germany 8%; Nicaragua 3%; Canada 3%; United Kingdom 3%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1995): route length 590 mi, 950 km{8}. Roads (1995): total length 22,121 mi, 35,600 km (paved 17%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 259,000; trucks and buses 132,940. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 24; total deadweight tonnage 8,368. Air transport (1995){9}: passenger-mi 1,135,000,000, passenger-km 1,827,000,000; short-ton mi cargo 29,982,000, metric ton-km cargo 43,773,000; airports (1996) 14. Education and health Educational attainment (1996){3}. Percentage of population age 5 and over having: no formal schooling 11.7%; incomplete primary education 28.5%; complete primary 25.8%; incomplete secondary 16.0%; complete secondary 9.0%; higher 8.5%; other/unknown 0.5%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 2,118,000 (94.8%); males literate 1,054,000 (94.7%); females literate 1,064,000 (95.0%). Health (1996): physicians 4,422 (1 per 763 persons); hospital beds 5,961 (1 per 566 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1995) 13.3. Food (1992): daily per capita caloric intake 2,883 (vegetable products 83%, animal products 17%); 129% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Paramilitary expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 0.3% (world, n.a.); per capita expenditure U.S.$8. The army was officially abolished in 1948. Paramilitary (police) forces had 7,000 members in 1996. {1} Population of San Jos canton. {2} Within San Jos metropolitan area. {3} Based on a July 1996 survey. {4} Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. {5} Based on 1993 data. {6} Based on 1994 data. {7} Estimated figures. {8} Rail service suspended in June 1995 because of a lack of funds. {9} Lacsa (Costa Rican Airlines) only.