Costa Rica
| Capital: | San Jose |
| Area size: | 51060 sq. km Slightly larger than Demark |
| Time zone: | GMT -6 |
| Currency: | Costa Rican colon |
| Area code: | (+) 506 |
| Driving: | Right |
| Climate description: | Tropical with plentiful rainfall and high temperatures throughout the year; heavier rainfall between May-November and felt more on the Caribbean coast than the Pacific. |
People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Spanish (official); an English creole is spoken in Caribbean coastal provinces
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
Future population estimates
6.9 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)
Ethnic groups
Most Costa Ricans descend from the integration between Native Americans and European migrants, mainly Spanish. African descendants, who were brought from Jamaica, make up 3 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Roman Catholic 76 percent, evangelical Protestant 14 percent
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
Year women granted right to vote
1949
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Percentage of population under 15
Spanish (official); an English creole is spoken in Caribbean coastal provinces
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
| 2007 | 4.5 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006) |
| 2006 | 4.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2005 | 4.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2004 | 4.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2003 | 4.2 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2002 | 4.1 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2001 | 4.0 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2000 | 3.9 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
Future population estimates
6.9 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)
Ethnic groups
Most Costa Ricans descend from the integration between Native Americans and European migrants, mainly Spanish. African descendants, who were brought from Jamaica, make up 3 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Roman Catholic 76 percent, evangelical Protestant 14 percent
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
| 2007 | 62.8 percent | U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005 |
| 2006 | 62.2 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2005 | 61.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2004 | 61.2 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2003 | 60.6 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2002 | 60.1 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2001 | 59.5 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2000 | 59.0 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
Year women granted right to vote
1949
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Percentage of population under 15
| 2005 | 28.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2003 | 29.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 23.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 31.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 32.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Average life expectancy
Life expectancy - male
Life expectancy - female
Infant mortality
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
Births attended by skilled personnel
Maternal mortality
Human development index (HDI rank)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
Percentage of undernourished population
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
Population with access to improved sanitation
Literacy - average
Literacy - male
Literacy - female
Landlines telephones
Cellular telephone subscribers
Internet users
Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
| 2005 | 78.5 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 78.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 78.2 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 78.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 77.9 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 76.4 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - male
| 2005 | 76.2 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 76.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 75.9 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 75.7 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 75.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 74.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - female
| 2005 | 80.9 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 80.8 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 80.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 80.5 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 80.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 79.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Infant mortality
| 2006 | 11 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 11 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 11 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 9 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 9 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 10 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
| 2006 | 12 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 12 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 13 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 10 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 11 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
Births attended by skilled personnel
| 1997-2005 | 99 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 1996-2004 | 98 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1995-2003 | 98 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1995-2002 | 98 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1995-2001 | 98 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 1995-2000 | 98 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Maternal mortality
| 2005 | 30 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2000 | 43 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
Human development index (HDI rank)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
| 2000-2006 | 5 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 1996-2005 | 5 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 1996-2004 | 5 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 1995-2003 | 5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1995-2002 | 5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1995-2000 | 5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Percentage of undernourished population
| 2002-2004 average | 5 percent | U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006 |
| 2001-2003average | 4 percent | FAO 2006 |
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
| 2004 | 97 percent | UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006 |
| 2002 | 97 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2000 | 95 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
Population with access to improved sanitation
| 2004 | 92 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2006 |
| 2002 | 92 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2000 | 93 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
Literacy - average
| 2004 | 94.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 95.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 95.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 95.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 95.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Literacy - male
| 2004 | 94.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 95.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 95.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 95.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 95.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Literacy - female
| 2004 | 95.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 95.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 95.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 95.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 95.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Landlines telephones
| 2006 | 307 per 1,000 people | International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007 |
| 2005 | 321 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2004 | 316 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2003 | 278 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2002 | 258 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2001 | 237 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2000 | 235 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
Cellular telephone subscribers
| 2006 | 328 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2005 | 255 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2004 | 217 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2003 | 187 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2002 | 125 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2001 | 82 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2000 | 55 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
Internet users
| 2006 | 276 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2005 | 213 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2004 | 208 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2003 | 204 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2002 | 203 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2001 | 97 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
| 2000 | 60 per 1,000 people | ITU 2007 |
Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
| 2007 | 46 (joint) | Transparency International 2007 |
| 2006 | 55 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2005 | 51 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2004 | 41 | Transparency International |
| 2003 | 50 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2002 | 40 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2001 | 40 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2000 | 30 (joint) | Transparency International |
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb
Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
GNI per capita, Atlas method
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
Annual GDP growth
Annual inflation
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
1.0 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
37.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
| 1990-2005 | 3.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 1990-2004 | 2.2 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1990-2003 | 2.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1990-2002 | 2 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1990-2001 | 6.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
GNI per capita, Atlas method
| 2006 | 4980 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2005 | 4660 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2004 | 4420 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2003 | 4160 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2002 | 3900 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2001 | 3860 current US$ | |
| 2000 | 3710 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
| 2006 | 22.2 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2005 | 20.0 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2004 | 18.6 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2003 | 17.5 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2002 | 16.8 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2001 | 16.4 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2000 | 15.9 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
Annual GDP growth
| 2005 | 5.9 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2004 | 4.1 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2003 | 6.4 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2002 | 2.9 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2001 | 1.1 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2000 | 1.8 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
Annual inflation
| 2005 | 11.1 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2004 | 11.8 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2003 | 8.3 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2002 | 9.2 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2001 | 8.6 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
| 2000 | 7 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007 |
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
1.0 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
37.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
Physicians
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
Malaria
Moderate risk from P.vivax throughout the year in the cantons of Los Chiles and Matina and Talamanca. Lower risk in cantons in the provinces of Alajuela, Guanacaste and Heredia, and in other cantons in the Limon province. Little risk exists in other cantons of the country.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2000-2004 | 132 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 1990-2004 | 132 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1990-2003 | 160 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1990-2002 | 178 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
| 2005 | 0.3 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2006 |
| 2003 | 0.3 percent | UNAIDS 2006 |
Malaria
Moderate risk from P.vivax throughout the year in the cantons of Los Chiles and Matina and Talamanca. Lower risk in cantons in the provinces of Alajuela, Guanacaste and Heredia, and in other cantons in the Limon province. Little risk exists in other cantons of the country.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2006 | 14 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2005 | 14 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 15 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2003 | 15 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2002 | 16 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2001 | 16 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
| 2000 | 17 per 100,000 people | WHO 2008 |
Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Number of refugees originating here
Number of refugees residing here
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
Landmine casualties per year
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
Percentage of GDP spent on education
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2006 | 284 | Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) |
| 2005 | 178 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 138 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 92 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 98 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 86 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 57 | UNHCR |
Number of refugees residing here
| 2006 | 11515 | UNHCR |
| 2005 | 11253 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 10413 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 13508 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 12433 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 8104 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 5519 | UNHCR |
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
| No data available | |||
Landmine casualties per year
| 2004 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2005 |
| 2003 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2004 |
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
| 2005 | 0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
Percentage of GDP spent on education
| 2002-2005 | 4.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2002-2004 | 4.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2000-2002 | 5.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1999-2001 | 4.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1998-2000 | 4.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2004 | 5.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2003-2004 | 5.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2002 | 6.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2001 | 4.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2000 | 4.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
AlertNet makes every effort to ensure statistics are updated from the relevant sources as soon as they are available.
Unlike some other content on this website, the written content in this article may be republished or redistributed by any means free of charge. Any use of photographs and graphics on this website is expressly prohibited. You must check whether written content contained in other articles on this website may be republished or redistributed without the express permission of Reuters or the relevant third party provider.
