anama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: 200 nm;

Extended economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to
November)

Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Natural resources: hydropower potential

Land use: 6% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 45% meadows and pastures;
34% forest and woodland; 8% other; includes 1% irrigated

Environment: subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes;
deforestation; soil erosion

- People
Population: 3,032,795 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Costa Rican(s); adjective--Costa Rican

Ethnic divisions: 96% white (including mestizo), 2% black,
1% Indian, 1% Chinese

Religion: 95% Roman Catholic

Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Literacy: 93%

Labor force: 868,300; industry and commerce 35.1%, government and
services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Organized labor: 15.1% of labor force

- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Costa Rica

Type: democratic republic

Capital: San Jose

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia);
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Constitution: 9 November 1949

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Rafael Angel
CALDERON Fournier (since 8 May 1990); First Vice President German SERRANO
Pinto (since 8 May 1990); Second Vice President Arnoldo LOPEZ Echandi
(since 8 May 1990)

Political parties and lead