Costa Rica - Country information


		Costa Rica	Population Government Economy Geography Communication Transportation

Population		Top of page

Inhabitants		Life expectancy
4,133,884 (July 2007 est.)		total population: 77.21 years male: 74.61 years female: 79.94 years (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups		Religions
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%		Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages		Literacy
Spanish (official), English		definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government		Top of page

Government type		Capital
democratic republic		San Jose

Independance		National day
15 September 1821 (from Spain)		Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution		Legal system
7 November 1949		based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Economy		Top of page

GDP (purchasing power parity)		Growth rate
$20.77 billion (2006 est.)		4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP per inhabitant		Unemployment rate
$12,000 (2006 est.)		6.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line		Inflation rate
18% (2004 est.)		12.1% (2006 est.)

Exports		Imports
$7.931 billion (2006 est.)		$10.88 billion (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold		Currency
$2.5 billion (2006 est.)		Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Military expenditures
0.4% (2006)

Geography		Top of page

Location		Area
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama		51,100 sq km

Climate		Natural resources
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands		hydropower

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