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PEOPLE

Language
Spanish (official); an English creole is spoken in Caribbean coastal provinces
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	4.6 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	4.5 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	4.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	4.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	4.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	4.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	4.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	4.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	3.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
6.4 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Most Costa Ricans descend from the integration between Native Americans and European migrants, mainly Spanish. African descendants, who were brought from Jamaica, make up 3 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Roman Catholic 76 percent, evangelical Protestant 14 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	62.8 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	62.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	61.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	61.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	60.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	60.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	59.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	59.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1949
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Percentage of population under 15

2005	28.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	No data available percent
2003	29.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	23.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	31.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	32.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT -6

Climate description
Tropical with plentiful rainfall and high temperatures throughout the year; heavier rainfall between May-November and felt more on the Caribbean coast than the Pacific.

Currency
Costa Rican colon

Telephone dialling code
(+) 506

Driving (left/right)
Right

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	78.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	78.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	78.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	78.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	77.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	76.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	76.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	76.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	75.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	75.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	75.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	74.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	80.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	80.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	80.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	80.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	80.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	79.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	10 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	11 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	11 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	11 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	8 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	10 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	11 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	13 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	10 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	11 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	30 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	43 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	48	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	48	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	47	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	45	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	42	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	43	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	5 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	4 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	98 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	97 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	97 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	95 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	96 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	92 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	92 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	93 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	94.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	95.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	95.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	95.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	95.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	94.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	95.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	95.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	95.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	95.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	95.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	95.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	95.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	95.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	95.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	318 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	322 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	303 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	321 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	316 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	277 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	253 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	235 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	229 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	418 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	338 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	328 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	254 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	217 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	186 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	123 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	81 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	54 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	336 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	336 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	276 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	213 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	208 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	204 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	199 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	96 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	58 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	47 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	46 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	55 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	51 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	41	Transparency International
2003	50 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	40 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	40 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	30 (joint)	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	3.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002	2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	6.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	5520 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	5030 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	4660 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	4420 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	4160 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	3900 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	3860 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	3710 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	26.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	22.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	20.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	18.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	17.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	16.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	16.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	15.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	5.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	4.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	6.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	2.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	1.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	1.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	9.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	11.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	10.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	11.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	8.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	9.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	8.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	7.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
1.0 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
37.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	132 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	132 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	160 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	178 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.4 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.4 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Moderate risk from P.vivax throughout the year in the cantons of Los Chiles and Matina and Talamanca. Lower risk in cantons in the provinces of Alajuela, Guanacaste and Heredia, and in other cantons in the Limon province. Little risk exists in other cantons of the country.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	11 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	11 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	354	UNHCR
2007	361	UNHCR
2006	284	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	178	UNHCR
2004	138	UNHCR
2003	92	UNHCR
2002	98	UNHCR
2001	86	UNHCR
2000	57	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	11923	UNHCR
2007	11604	UNHCR
2006	11515	UNHCR
2005	11253	UNHCR
2004	10413	UNHCR
2003	13508	UNHCR
2002	12433	UNHCR
2001	8104	UNHCR
2000	5519	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	4.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	4.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	4.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	4.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	5.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	6.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	4.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	4.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003