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COSTA RICA
Map of COSTA RICA
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Location:
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Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama |
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 00 N, 84 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than West Virginia |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km |
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Coastline:
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1,290 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m |
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Natural resources:
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hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,080 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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112.4 cu km (2000) |
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%)
per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Population:
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4,195,914 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27.2% (male 584,782/female 557,952)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,416,456/female 1,384,692)
65 years and over: 6% (male 116,461/female 135,571) (2008 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
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Ethnic groups:
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white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.9%
male: 94.7%
female: 95.1% (2000 census) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica |
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Government type:
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democratic republic |
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Capital:
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name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
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Independence:
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15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Source: http://cia.gov
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