d Panama

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total area: 51,100 sq km
land area: 50,660 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
note: includes Isla del Coco

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

International disputes: none

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

Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential

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

Irrigated land: 1,180 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of
land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season;
active volcanoes
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation

People
------

Population: 3,463,083 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 612,624; female 582,566)
15-64 years: 61% (male 1,061,703; female 1,038,403)
65 years and over: 4% (male 77,773; female 90,014) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.06% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 23.84 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 4.14 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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: 0.86 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.72 years
male: 73.31 years
female: 78.24 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: