|
Country
|
Costa Rica | 
Chile |
|
Leader
|
President: Laura Chinchilla
|
President: Sebastian Pinera
|
|
Population
|
4,636,348
| 17,067,369
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
77.890 years
| 78.100 years
|
|
Capital City
|
San Jose
| Santiago
|
|
Largest city
|
| San Jose (population: 335,007) | Santiago (population: 4,837,300) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.847
| 0.874
|
| GDP per capita |
$12,100 US
| $17,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
94.9%
| 95.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.1
| 6.9
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
36.8%
| 12.7%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
NA
| Eliodoro Matte & family ($5.9bn US)
|
| Unemployment Rate |
6.500%
| 6.600%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished
| Abolished except for special circumstances
|
| |
|
Political System
|
democratic republic
| republic
|
|
Independence date
|
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
| 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
|
| Religions |
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
| Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
|
| Languages |
Spanish (official), English
| Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
|
| Exports |
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
| copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
|
| External Debt |
$10,050,000,000 $
| $99,400,000,000 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)
| Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 509.02 (2008 est.), 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
0.600%
| 2.700%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
0
| 1
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
| Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
|
| Area |
51,100 km sq
| 756,102 km sq
|
| Coastline |
1,290 km
| 6,435 km
|
| Climate |
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
| temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
|
|
|
|
