The 2000 CIA World Factbook, page 339 by US CIA
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Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources: hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 31% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion; water pollution (rivers); fisheries protection; solid waste management
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
@Costa Rica:People
Population: 3,710,558 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 609,051; female 581,302) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,177,262; female 1,150,673) 65 years and over: 5% (male 89,541; female 102,729) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.69% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 20.69 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration