Country
Costa Rica Seychelles
Leader
Population
4,636,348 90,024
Life Expectancy
77.890 years 73.770 years
Capital City
San Jose Victoria
Largest city
San Jose (population: 335,007) Victoria (population: 22,881)
Human Development Index
0.847 0.836 GDP per capita $12,100 US $25,000 US
Literacy Rate
94.9% 91.8%
Corruption Perception Index
5.1 4.8
Percentage of Women in Parliament
36.8% 23.5% Wealthiest Citizens Unemployment Rate 6.500% 2.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished Abolished
Political System
democratic republic republic
Independence date
15 September 1821 (from Spain) 29 June 1976 (from UK) 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 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census) Languages Spanish (official), English Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census) Exports bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) External Debt $10,050,000,000 $ $1,470,000,000 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) Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 0.600% 2.000% Beijing Olympics Medal Count Location Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar Area 51,100 km sq 455 km sq Coastline 1,290 km 491 km Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
