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Quick Facts

Country

  • Republic of Costa Rica

Capital

  • San Jose

Total Area

  • 19,729.82 sq mi
  • 51,100.00 sq km
  • (slightly smaller than West Virginia)

Population

  • 3,710,558 (July 2000 est.)

Estimated Population in 2050

  • 5,696,700

Languages

  • Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Literacy

  • 94.8% total
  • 94.7% male
  • 95% female (1995 est.)

Religions

  • Roman Catholic 85%
  • Evangelical Protestant
  • approximately 14%
  • other less than 1%

Life Expectancy

  • 73.3 male
  • 78.47 female (2000 est.)

Government Type

  • democratic republic

Currency

  • 1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

GDP (per capita)

  • $7,100 (1999 est.)

Labor Force (by occupation)

  • agriculture 20%
  • industry 22%
  • services 58% (1999 est.)

Industry

  • microprocessors
  • food processing
  • textiles and clothing
  • construction materials
  • fertilizer
  • plastic products

Agriculture

  • coffee
  • bananas
  • sugar
  • corn
  • rice
  • beans
  • potatoes
  • beef
  • timber

Arable Land

  • 6%

Exports

  • coffee
  • bananas
  • sugar
  • textiles
  • electronic components
  • electricity

Imports

  • raw materials
  • consumer goods
  • capital equipment
  • petroleum
  • electricity

Natural Resources

  • hydropower

Current Environmental Issues

  • deforestation
  • largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching
  • soil erosion
  • water pollution (rivers)
  • fisheries protection
  • solid waste management

Telephones (main lines in use)

  • 451,000 (1996)

Telephones (mobile cellular)

  • 46,500 (December 1996)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

  • 2 (1999)
  • (U.S. Government sources)