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Background:
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Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
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Location:
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Central 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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Area:
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total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
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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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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 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: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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1,080 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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112.4 cu km (2000)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%)
Per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000)
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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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: 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
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Population:
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4,133,884 (July 2007 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27.8% (male 587,395/female 560,408)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,388,114/female 1,357,157)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 111,758/female 129,052) (2007 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 26.8 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 27.2 years (2007 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.412% (2007 est.)
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Birth rate:
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18.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.866 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.21 years
male: 74.61 years
female: 79.94 years (2007 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.6% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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12,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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900 (2003 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%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
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This page was last updated on 24 January, 2008
- The Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook - |
