The Basics
Location: Approximately 8° to 11° North and 84° West
Total Area: 51 100 sq km (19 730 sq mi)
Land Borders: Total 639 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Total Coastline: 1,290 km (802 mi), 212 km (132mi) on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km (631mi) on the Pacific
Average Annual Rainfall: about 3,000 to 3,500 mm (120 to 140 inches)
Highest Point: Cerro Chirripó, at 3,820 m (12,500 ft)
Lowest Point: 0m, Sea Level
Population: 4 133 884 (July 2007), two thirds located in the Central Valley (Meseta Central)
Population Density: 85/km², 220/sq mi
Population Growth Rate: 1.412% (2007 estimate)
Capital City: San José since 1824 - population around 1,000,000
Location: 9 56° N, 84 05° W
Provinces: 1) Alajuela 2) Cartago 3) Guanacaste 4) Heredia 5) Limón 6) Puntarenas 7) San José
Ethnicities: Caucasian/Spanish including Mestizo (Native and Spanish mixed) 94%, Black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.3%, Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Quality of Life
Life Expectancy: 77.21 years
Men: 74.61 years
Women: 79.94 years
Total Fertility Rate: 2.21 children per female
Literacy Rate: 94.7%
Poverty Rate: 18%
Sanitation Standards: 92% of homes have adequate sanitation, 97% have a potable water source.
Telephone Access: Main lines in use - 1.351 million, mobile lines in use - 1.444 million (2006)
Internet Access: Internet hosts available - 13,792, Internet users - 1.214 million
Airports: Total 151, 36 with a paved runway, 115 with unpaved runways
Roadways: Total 35,330 km, paved 8,621, unpaved 26,709 km (2004)
Waterways: 730 km can be navigated seasonally by a small craft (2007)
Railways: 278 km none of which are in use today.
Ports: Caldera (Puntarenas), Puerto Limon
Political Facts
The World Bank describes Costa Rica as "one of the most stable and robust" democracies in Latin America.”
Government System: Democratic Republic- Presidential elections held every four years.
Head of Government: - President Oscar Arias Sanchez (Elected May 8, 2006 with 40.9% of the votes), First Vice President- Laura Chinchilla, Second Vice President- Vacant
Legislative Branch: Residences vote for members of a Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) to represent their region for the full four year term. Percentage of seats by party- 25 PLN (National Liberation Party), 17 PAC (Citizen Action Party), 6 PML (Liberation Movement Party), 5 PUSC (Social Christian Unity Party), 4 other
Independence Day: September 15 (celebrating the independence of Mexico and Central America from Spain in 1821)
Sovereignty: In 1938 Costa Rica denounced the Federal Republic of Central America a.k.a. United Provinces of Central America and declared itself a sovereign country.
National Constitution: Signed on November 7, 1949
