Costa Rica     [39]
(Independent in 1821 from Spain)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: CR
LAND AREA: 51022 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 3398000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 67 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 3%/year
  POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 26%
  URBAN POP: 49% (1994), versus 37% (1960), Annual Growth: 3.3%
  LIFE EXPECTANCY: 76.6 years,  ADULT LITERACY: 94.7%
  INFANT MORTALITY: 13 per/1000 (1994), versus 85 (1960)
  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.889

ECONOMY
  GNP: US$7.9 billion, Annual GNP Growth Rate 1980-1993: 3.3%,  Annual Growth Rate GNP/Capita: 1.1%
  GDP/Capita: $1692  GDP/Capita PPP: $5919
  GDP/Capita: 1960 $1053, 1970 $1351, 1980 $1767, 1990 $1692
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $25 million  ODA%GNP: 0.3%
  ODA/Capita: $8

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 1248,000 ha, 24.4% of land area, 0.4 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 1220,000 ha
  ARABLE LAND: 5.6% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 1424 kw-hr/capita, versus 595 kw-hr/cap (1970)
  TRADITIONAL FUEL CONSUMPTION: 36% (1993), versus 61% (1973)
  INTERNAL RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES: 27.7,000 cu.m/cap/year
  SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION (1990-92): 7 kg/cap/year, CHANGE SINCE 1980-82: 7%
  CHANGE IN ANNUAL MARINE CATCH 1980-82 to 1990-92: 20%

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: