Useful Information
Country Data

Country Data

Capital

San José

Land area

51.060 km2 = 0.03% of the planet earth

Geographic coordinates

8º to 11°north latitude

82° to 86º west longtitude

Land boundaries

309 km with Nicaragua to the North

Cañas Jerez Agreement of April 15, 1858

Ratified by the Laudo Cleveland of May 22, 1888

330 km with Panama to the South

Echandi – Fernandez Agreement of May 01, 1941

Administrative divisions

7 Provinces, 82 Cantons, 488 Districts

Highest mountain

Cerro Chirripo  3.820 m

Atlantic Coast

212 km from Punta Castillas to Sixaola

Pacific Coast

1.016 km Bahia from Salinas to Punta Burica

Form of government

Presidential, reelections every 4 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

President

Carlos Alvarado Quesada

Acción Ciudadano Party (PAC)

Parlament

unicameral Legislative Assembly with 57 seats

 

Demographics 2020

Population

5.111.401 inhabitants (2010: 4.570.000)

Urbanization

Urban population: 80% (2010: 70%)
Rural population: 20%  (2010: 30%)

Central Valley metropolitan  area

approx. 65% the total population (2010: 55%)

Density

99,77 inhabitants per sq km  (2010: 88)

Occupants per housing unit

3.2 (2010: 3.6)

Life expectancy at birth

80.9 years  (2010: 78.8)

Populaton development

1980

2.28 Mio

1990

3.05 Mio

2010

4.57 Mio

2020

5.11 Mio

Growth rate

0,92%  (2010: 1,3%)

Languages

Spanish (official), Patois in the Caribbean regions, five indigenous languages

Illiteracy rate

2,14%  (2010: 3.8%)

 

Ethnic groups

66%

Whites (of Spanish and European descent)

14%

Mestizos (of mixed indigenous and white descent)

9%

Immigrants

8%

Afro-Costa Ricans and mulattos

2.5% (approx. 104.000)

Indigenous people of nine tribes
(24 territories of 3.344 sq km in total)

1% 

Chinese/Asians


Age structure

0 to 9 years

14.4%

10 to 19 years

14.8%

20 to 29 years

16.9%

30to 39 years

16.9 %

40 to 49 years

12.8 %

50 to 59 years

10.9%

60 to 69 years

  7.8%

70 to 79 years

  3.7%

80+ years

  1.8%

 

Life Expectancy

Female

83.4 years  (2010: 81.7)

Male

78.5 years  (2010: 76.5)

 

Education

1st to 6th grade Primary School 

 

7th to 9th grade Secondary School

 

10th to 11th grade Technical College

 

10th to 12th grade Academic College

 

Private Schools and Universities

10%

State Schools and Universities

90%

 

Vocational Training

Average vocational training takes 9 months

National Trainings Institute INA 

Requirement: Completed college education

 

Economy 2019

GDP

61,774,000,000 US$  (2010: 35,789,000,000)

GDP per capita

12,238 US$ (2010: 7,842)

GDP by sectors

Agriculture 6%
Industry 21%
Services 73%

 

Main Foreign Exchange Earners

Tourism

3.983.000.000 US$

7% of GBP

Optical, technical, medical apparatus 

3.700.000.000 US$

31.9% of exports

Fruits, nuts

2.200.000.000 US$

18.9% of exports

Miscellaneous food preparations

   593.900.000 US$

  5.2% of exports

Electrical machinery, equipment

   471,600.000 US$

  4.1% of exports

Plastics, plastic articles

   378.900.000 US$

  3.3% of exports

Vegetable / fruit / nut preparations

   334.600.000 US$

  2.9% of exports

Pharmaceuticals

   325.000.000 US$

  2.8% of exports

Coffee, herbal tea, spices

   285.600.000 US$

  2.5% of exports

Rubber, rubber articles, tires

   270,300.000 US$

  2.4% of exports

Vegetables

   172.200.000 US$

  1.5% of exports

We would like to thank all our guests who have been travelling with us since 1994 in the most beautiful time of the year - their well-deserved holidays. When developing itineraries for groups and individual travelers, selecting our local service partners and caring about the well-being of our guests, we always focus on the highest possible quality standards. Since the founding of Amadeus Travel, we have been committed to sustainable tourism as the only long-term viable form of tourism, e.g. through our social commitment, visiting and supporting private and state nature reserves as well as the training of our team and experienced, fully licenced tour guides.