|
Country
|
Costa Rica | 
Colombia |
|
Leader
|
President: Laura Chinchilla
|
President: Juan Manuel Santos
|
|
Population
|
4,636,348
| 45,239,079
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
77.890 years
| 74.790 years
|
|
Capital City
|
San Jose
| Bogota
|
|
Largest city
|
| San Jose (population: 335,007) | Bogota (population: 7,102,600) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.847
| 0.787
|
| GDP per capita |
$12,100 US
| $10,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
94.9%
| 92.8%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.1
| 3.8
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
36.8%
| 9.7%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
NA
| Julio Mario Santo Domingo ($4.0bn US)
|
| Unemployment Rate |
6.500%
| 10.800%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished
| Abolished
|
| |
|
Political System
|
democratic republic
| republic; executive branch dominates government structure
|
|
Independence date
|
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
| 20 July 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 90%, other 10%
|
| Languages |
Spanish (official), English
| Spanish
|
| Exports |
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
| petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers
|
| External Debt |
$10,050,000,000 $
| $68,760,000,000 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)
| Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,302.9 (2008 est.), 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
0.600%
| 3.400%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
0
| 2
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
| Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
|
| Area |
51,100 km sq
| 1,138,910 km sq
|
| Coastline |
1,290 km
| 3,208 km
|
| Climate |
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
| tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
|
|
|
|
