references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 51,100 sq km

land: 50,660 sq km

water: 440 sq km

note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km

border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources: hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6%

permanent crops: 5%

permanent pastures: 46%

forests and woodland: 31%

other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
landslides; active volcanoes

Environment - current issues: deforestation and land use change,
largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and
agriculture; soil erosion; water pollution (rivers); coastal marine
pollution; wetlands degradation; fisheries protection; solid waste
management; air pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine
Life Conservation

Costa Rica People

Population: 3,773,057 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.38% (male 605,728; female 578,128)

15-64 years: 63.37% (male 1,209,084; female 1,181,754)

65 years and over: 5.25% (male 92,314; female 106,049) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.65% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 20.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Lif