|
Country
|
Costa Rica | 
Central African Republic |
|
Leader
|
President: Laura Chinchilla
|
President: Francois Bozize
|
|
Population
|
4,636,348
| 5,057,208
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
77.890 years
| 50.480 years
|
|
Capital City
|
San Jose
| Bangui
|
|
Largest city
|
| San Jose (population: 335,007) | Bangui (population: 542,393) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.847
| 0.352
|
| GDP per capita |
$12,100 US
| $800 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
94.9%
| 48.6%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.1
| 2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
36.8%
| 10.5%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
6.500%
| 8.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
democratic republic
| republic
|
|
Independence date
|
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
| 13 August 1960 (from France)
|
| Religions |
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
| indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
|
| Languages |
Spanish (official), English
| French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
|
| Exports |
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
| diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
|
| External Debt |
$10,050,000,000 $
| $483,900,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - 529.62 (2008 est.), 519.53 (2007), 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004)
| Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
0.600%
| 0.900%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
| Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
| Area |
51,100 km sq
| 622,984 km sq
|
| Coastline |
1,290 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
| tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
|
|
|
|
