If you want to see some pictures of Costa Rica - then click on the link
My favourite pastime is travelling, and I hope one day to have visited
as many possible countries as is physically possible.
I really enjoy going on holiday with my friends, and through getting
a part-time job, I have been able to go to such places in the
past as Ibiza, Tenerife and Cyprus - The main aim of these holidays
is to get pissed, have a laugh with your mates and stay
celibate with the female of the species (ahem).
My latest jaunt abroad is in July 2000, when 35 of us (two football
teams) will hit the sunny coast of the Costa Brava - Benidorm to be precise.
No doubt that will be a brilliant holiday.
Although I am working part time to fund these holidays, I realised that (from an early age) I wanted to travel to exotic places and not go on package tours. Therefore, if I was working hard to find money, then it makes sense to go to somewhere different (this is opposed to puking it all away on some mad lads holiday).
I decided to go to Costa Rica during 2003 and I am really looking forward
to it, I have already booked my dates with the Costa Rican consulate in
London, and I am now trying to save enough money to put into my bank account
so my visa will be permitted.
The reason I chose Costa Rica is that it is an amazing place in all
senses of the term, I have read many different materials on Costa Rica
and found the Rough Guide to be the most beneficial. Below is some key
information that I found out about the country Costa Rica.
Introduction
Background: Costa Rica declared its independence from Spain in 1821.
After a turbulent beginning it inaugurated an era of
peaceful democracy in 1889, subsequently interrupted only twice, by
a dictatorial interlude in 1917-19 and an armed uprising in
1948. Increasing the role of the private sector while maintaining the
government's social safety net and keeping under control the
budget deficit, unemployment, and inflation are key current issues.
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
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
Land boundaries:
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources: hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season;
active volcanoes
Environment—current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
Environment—international agreements:
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
People
Population: 3,674,490 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 622,260; female 593,720)
15-64 years: 62% (male 1,150,900; female 1,121,970)
65 years and over: 5% (male 85,526; female 100,114) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.89% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.16 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.04 years
male: 73.6 years
female: 78.61 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.76 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 96%, black 2%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
Data code: CS
Government type: democratic republic
Capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia);
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon,
Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998);
First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8
May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May
1998); note—president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998);
First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio
(since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since
8 May 1998); note—president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 1
February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2002)
election results: Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ elected president; percent
of vote—Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 46.6%,
Jose Miguel CORRALES (PLN) 44.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
(57 seats; members are elected by direct popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party—PUSC 41%, PLN 35%, minority
parties 24%; seats by party—PUSC 27, PLN 23,
minority parties 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC
[Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ Echeverria]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; National Integration
Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes];
National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; People United
Party or PPU [Norma VARGAS Duarte];
National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL Benavides];
Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE
LA CRUZ de Lemos]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Federico MALAVASI
Calvo]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or
PRC [Sherman Thomas JACKSON]; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo
GUTIERREZ Schwanhauser]; National Rescue
Party or PRN [Marina VOLIO Brenes]; Democratic Party or PD [Alvaro
GONZALEZ Espinoza]; Independent Party or PI
[Yolanda GUTIERREZ Ventura]; Agriculture Labor Action [leader NA]
note: mainly a two-party system—PUSC and PLN; numerous small parties
share less than 25% of population's support
Political pressure groups and leaders: Costa Rican Confederation of
Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
affiliate); Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate);
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers
or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE;
Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Association
of Educators or ANDE; Federation of Public
Service Workers or FTSP
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM
(observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto
Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 220-2305
Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white
disk on the hoist side of the red band
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. Economic growth has
rebounded from -0.9% in 1996 to 3% in 1997 and an estimated 5.5% in
1998. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995, dropped to 11.1% in
1997, and reached an estimated 12% in 1998. Unemployment appears moderate
at 5.6%, but substantial underemployment
continues. Furthermore, large government deficits—fueled by interest
payments on the massive internal debt—have undermined
efforts to maintain the quality of social services. Curbing inflation,
reducing the deficit, and improving public sector efficiency
remain key challenges to the government. President RODRIGUEZ has called
for an increased economic role for the private
sector, but political resistance to privatization has stalled much
of his economic program.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$24 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$6,700 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 24%
services: 61% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 34.7% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 868,300
Labor force—by occupation: industry and commerce 23.3%, government and services 55.1%, agriculture 21.6% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.6% (1998 est.); much underemployment
Budget:
revenues: $1.1 billion
expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110
million (1991 est.)
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate: 10.5% (1992)
Electricity—production: 4.785 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 14.11%
hydro: 75.44%
nuclear: 0%
other: 10.45% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 4.931 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 44 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 190 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Exports: $3.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: manufactured products, coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar (1997)
Exports—partners: US, Benelux, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France (1997)
Imports: $4.5 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports—commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum (1997)
Imports—partners: US, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Germany (1997)
Debt—external: $3.2 billion (October 1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $107.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1—272.58 (January 1999),
257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997), 207.69 (1996),
179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 281,042 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: very good domestic telephone service
domestic: NA
international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite
earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 6 (in addition, there are 11 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 340,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 950 km
narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified)
Highways:
total: 35,597 km
paved: 6,051 km
unpaved: 29,546 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable
Pipelines: petroleum products 176 km
Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 156 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 128
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 99 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public
Security Force (Fuerza Publica); note—during 1996, the Ministry
of Public Security reorganized and eliminated the Civil Guard, Rural
Assistance Guard, and Frontier Guards as separate entities;
they are now under the Ministry and operate on a geographic command
basis performing ground security, law enforcement,
counternarcotics, and national security (border patrol) functions;
the constitution prohibits armed forces
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 988,887 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 662,827 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 36,751 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $55 million (1995)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered
plots