Surface: 51.100 km²
Population: 3.064.000 inhabitants
Density of population: 60 inhabitants/km²
Capital: San Jose (297.000 inhabitants)
Official language: Spanish
Official currency: Colon
Exported products: coffee, bananas, apple pine, sugar cane, leather, textiles
Brut Intern Product: 1.900 $/inhabitant
State type: Republic
Geographical Characteristics :
The country is situated in Central America. Its relief is predominant mountainous and part of the tops are volcanoes (there are 8 active volcanoes, one of them is Irazu with a height of 3.423 m) and grouped in two parallel chains separated by a hill region (Meseta Central with altitudes between 900 and 1.200 m). To the Pacific Ocean in west and the Caribbean Sea in east the mountains domin
ates two narrow and fertile plains. The degree of seismicity is high.
Climate, Vegetation and Fauna :
The climate is tropical and influenced by the relief. The rainfalls are abundant in the east side of the country and there the amount of rainfall is 4.000 mm per year. The forests were replaced in time by agrarian cultures and grasslands and today they occupy 1/3 of the country’s surface. The fauna is various and rich. In Costa Rica live crocodiles, iguanas, birds which are bright colored and others.
Population and Cities :
The capital of the country is San Jose and has 297.000 inhabitants. The country has 3.064.000 inhabitants. The birth rate is 27.4‰ and the death rate is 3.8‰. 54% of the population lives in cities. The most important cities are: Alajuela (158.000 inhabitants), Cartago (109.000 inhabitants), Puntarenas (92.000 inhabitants) and Limon (67.000 inhabitants). Over 75% of the population is Creole, descendents of the Spanish colonists, 15% are Métis, 2% are Negro and Mulattos and the rest are Amerindians. More than half of the population lives in Meseta Central where the density of population is approximately 300 inhabitants/km² and the coast plains, especially the Atlantic one is poor in inhabitants (10-20 inhabitants/km²). The most important religions are: Catholicism 90% and Protestantism.
State :
The country is a presidential republic according to the Constitution in 1949. The legislative activity is exerted by the President and the Legislative Assembly and the executive by a cabinet leaded and chosen by the President. The political parties are 20 and some of them are: the Party of Social Christian Union, the National Liberation Party, the Coalition of the Unite People and the General Union Party.
Economy :
The country has few mineral resources like copper and bauxite which aren't extracted. The economy is based on agriculture which is specialized in cultivating coffee, bananas, apple pine and sugar cane. People also grow cows. The processing industry is relative various and assures part of the exports: chemical products, textiles and leather. Tourism also has a great importance in economy and incomes.
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General Facts :