age 18Elections:
Legislative Assembly:
last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (57 total) PUSC 29, PLN 25, PVP/PPC 1, regional
parties 2
President:
last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results - Rafael
Angel CALDERON Fournier 51%, Carlos Manuel CASTILLO 47%
Communists:
7,500 members and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups:
Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party
affiliate), Confederated Union of Workers (CUT; Communist Party affiliate),
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD; Communist Party
affiliate), Chamber of Coffee Growers, National Association for Economic
Development (ANFE), Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL; rightwing militants),
National Association of Educators (ANDE)
:Costa Rica Government
Member of:
AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES,
LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Gonzalo FACIO Segreda; Chancery at Suite 211, 1825 Connecticut
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-2945 through 2947;
there are Costa Rican Consulates General at Albuquerque, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, and San
Juan (Puerto Rico), and a Consulate in Buffalo
US:
Ambassador Luis GUINOT, Jr.; Embassy at Pavas Road, San Jose (mailing
address is APO AA 34020); telephone [506] 20-39-39 FAX (506) 20-2305
Flag:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and
blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red
band
:Costa Rica Economy
Overview:
In 1991 the economy grew at an estimated 2.5%, down somewhat from the 3.6%
gain of 1990 and below the strong 5.5% gain of 1989. Increases in
agricultural production (on the strength of good coffee and banana crops)
and in construction have been offset by lower rates of growth for industry.
In 1991 consumer prices rose by 27%, about the same as in 1990. The trade
deficit of $270 million was substantially below the 1990 deficit of $677
million. Unemployment is officially reported at 4.6%, but much
underemployment remains. External debt, on a per capita basis, is among the
world's highest.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $5.9 billion, per capita $1,900; real growth rate
2.5% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
27% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $831 million; expenditures $1.08 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Exports:
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar
partners:
US 75%, Germany, Guatemala, Netherlands, UK, Japan
Imports:
$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
petroleum, machinery, consumer durables, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
partners:
US 40%, Japan, Guatemala, Germany
External debt:
$4.5 billion (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 2.3% (1990 est.); accounts for 23% of GDP
Electricity:
927,000 kW capacity; 3,408 million kWh produced, 1,095 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer,
plastic products
Agriculture:
accounts for 20-25% of GDP and 70% of exports; cash commodities - coffee,
beef, bananas, sugar; other food crops include corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
normally self-sufficient in food except for grain; depletion of forest
resources resulting in lower timber output
Illicit drugs:
illicit production of cannabis on small scattered plots; transshipment
country for cocaine from South America
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $935 million;
Communist countries (1971-89), $27 million
