|
Country
|
Costa Rica |
|
|
Leader
|
President: Laura Chinchilla
|
President: Joyce Banda
|
|
Population
|
4,636,348
| 16,323,044
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
77.890 years
| 52.310 years
|
|
Capital City
|
San Jose
|
|
|
Largest city
|
| San Jose (population: 335,007) | Lilongwe (population: 646,750) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.847
| 0.457
|
| GDP per capita |
$12,100 US
|
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
94.9%
| 62.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.1
| 2.8
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
36.8%
| 13%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
6.500%
|
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
democratic republic
| multiparty democracy
|
|
Independence date
|
15 September 1821 (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%
| Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
|
| Languages |
Spanish (official), English
| Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
|
| Exports |
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
|
|
| External Debt |
$10,050,000,000 $
|
|
| 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)
|
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
0.600%
|
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
| Southern Africa, east of Zambia
|
| Area |
51,100 km sq
| 118,484 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
| sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
|
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