GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT COSTA RICA

I, the undersigned, Roxana Gutiérrez Font, Official Translator of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Costa Rica, appointed by Decree No. 319-97 DAJ of June 30^th, 1997, published in La Gaceta (Official newspaper) on August 11^th, 1997 certify that in English, the document to be translated reads as follows: 

OFFICIAL TRANSLATION
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT COSTA RICA
The Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) 

Costa Rica is a Central American country with a huge potential for tourism and is becoming one of the first-class nature destinations for international tourism. Its main tourism product is eco-tourism with 25% of the national territory protected by various conservation efforts. 

Although the country is small, taking up only 0.03% of the planet’s surface, it is the natural habitat for 6% of the bio-diversity existing worldwide.

In addition, Costa Rica provides an excellent climate for investment and the establishment of international companies. This is due to the high educational level of its population, its infrastructure, its modern services, and its socio-political stability. 

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Spanish, but a large portion of the population has a broad understanding of English. 

OFFICIAL RELIGION: Catholic (with freedom of expression of other beliefs)  

NATIONAL FLOWER: The Purple Guaria Orchid (Cattleya skinneri) 

NATIONAL TREE: Guanacaste (Enterolobium ciclocarpum) 

NATIONAL BIRD: Yiguirro ( Turdus grayi) 

BUSINESS HOURS

Governmental Sector: from 8:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m, Monday through Friday.

Private Sector: from 9:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m, Monday through Friday.  Most businesses are open Saturdays until noon, although some stay open until 6:00 p.m.

National Banks: from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, although some schedules for some banks run until 6:00 p.m.

Private Banks: from 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m, Monday through Friday 

LEGAL HOLIDAYS

OTHER HOLIDAYS

Costa Rica is a traditionally democratic country. Its political system has three arms: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial, although throughout much of the country’s political life, the Supreme Court of Elections has figured as the republic’s fourth arm. Every four years national elections take place; among other popular posts, the president of the republic is elected by direct, secret ballot. Currently, there is some discussion in the Legislature about a motion for the presidency to be extended to five years. 

LOCATION:  

Costa Rica is bordered on the southeast by Panama, on the north by Nicaragua, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.

CAPITAL: San Jose 

AREA: 51,100 square kilometers (31,682 square miles) 

OTHER MAJOR CITIES: Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, San Isidro del General, Ciudad Quesada, Liberia, Puntarenas, and Limon.

MAJOR SEAPORTS: Limon on the Caribbean and Puntarenas and Caldera on the Pacific Ocean 

POLITICAL DIVISIONS:

Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces:  San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and Limon. Each province is divided into cantons and each of those into districts. Overseas possessions include Coco Island, a worldwide natural heritage landmark, located 548 kilometers (340 miles) from Cape Blanco on the Pacific Ocean, with a land area of 2,400 hectares (5,928 acres) and a sea area of 73,100 hectares (180,557 acres)

DISTANCE BETWEEN MAJOR POINTS: 

HIGHEST ELEVATION

Cerro de Chirripó (Mount Chirripo) at 3,820 meters (12,530 feet) above sea level 

HIGHEST VOLCANO

Irazú Volcano at 3,432 meters (11,257 feet) above sea level 

MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO

The Arenal Volcano is one of the most active in the world, with an eruption on the average of one per hour. The most recent and most outstanding eruption, with incandescent rocks, lava, gas, and ash, was recorded on August 23, 2000. 

WIDEST VOLCANIC CRATER

The crater in Poas Volcano is 1,320 meters (4,330 feet) in diameter and has a depth of 300 meters (984 feet).  

Other  major, high-volume rivers are:

RAILWAYS 

The railway stopped operating in 1992 in the Caribbean region, and throughout the country in 1995. However, cargo service was re-opened in the Caribbean region in 1998 and in 1999 on the Pacific side when the San Jose-Caldera route was opened. Currently, there is no passenger transportation service. 

AIRPORTS 

The main airport is the Juan Santamaria International Airport located in Alajuela, 20 minutes from San Jose. This terminal recently underwent a multi-million dollar remodeling. 

Other major airports are:

ROADWAYS 

The entire country is well connected by roadways. The main route is the Inter-American Highway that links the two frontiers from Peñas Blancas to Paso Canoas; in the area around the Cerro de la Muerte it becomes the highest roadway in the country at an elevation higher than 3,200 meters (10,500 feet) above sea level. 

In general, the climate in Costa Rica is very pleasant, both during the rainy season running from May to November, and in the dry season running from December through April. During the rainy season, rain generally falls in the afternoon, while mornings are almost always sunny. In general, the climate is tropical with an average temperature of 22° C (72° F.), increasing considerably in the country’s coastal areas. 

Due to such factors as geographic location, climate conditions, and the mountain and valley formations, this country has several micro-climates with different types of vegetation, all of which can be experienced in a single day due to the country’s small size. 

The following climate categories can be differentiated in the country:

Due to its climactic and topographical features, Costa Rica has several types of forest: rain forest, cloud forest, dryland forest, and transitional. 

POPULATION

Approximately 3,622,171 inhabitants as of January 2000. Males: 1,827,496 and females: 1,794,675 

LIFE EXPECTANCY UPON BIRTH IN THE YEAR 1999

Men 74.18;   women 79.89 

BIRTH RATES BY YEAR

1995: 24.09            1996: 23.31   1997: 22.52   1998:  21.83   1999:  21.68  

GENERAL MORTALITY RATE

 1995: 4.22            1996:  4.12     1997:  4.08     1998: 4.17     1999: 4.16 

INFANT MORTALITY RATES BY YEAR

 1995: 13.25            1996: 11.83   1997: 14.20   1998: 12.60   1999: 11.78 

LINEAR GROWTH RATE

 1995: 2.07            1996: 2.01     1997: 1.94             1998:1.86        1999: 1.78  

Currency

The colon (named after Christopher Columbus)

Daily devaluation of the colon with relation to the U.S. dollar fluctuates between 10 and 15 percent.

There are 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, and 100 colon coins. Bills are issued in denominations of 50,  100,  500,  1,000,  2,000,  5,000,  and 10,00 colons0 

MONEY IN CIRCULATION 

Average annual balance in millions of colons

NET PUBLIC SECTOR DEBT

Average annual balance in the national bank system, in millions of colons

PRIVATE SECTOR DEBT

Average annual balance in the national bank system, in millions of colons

PRIVATE SECTOR DEBT, TOURISM

Balance in millions of colons

EXPORT - FOB,  in millions of U.S. $

IMPORTS – CIF,  in millions of U.S. $

GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT, in millions of colons

GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT PER CAPITA, in U.S. $

GROSS INTERNAL PRODUCT at market price in millions of colons

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

WORK FORCE through July of each year – employed people

GENERAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

  OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST  

ELECTRICAL COVERAGE (I.C.E.—the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity)  
94.4% of the national territory. The voltage throughout the country is 110.  

TELEPHONE COVERAGE (I.C.E.—the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity)  

94.3% of the national territory.  There is no local area code system. The international access code for Costa Rica is 506.

PORTABLE WATER COVERAGE

Some 53% of the population has access to potable water supplied by the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (A y A—the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers).  The rest of the population has access to potable water supplied by their municipalities and by the Rural Aqueduct associations in the different areas of the country.  

Costa Rica has distinguished itself through the efforts it has made in investing in public education, over the course of the different governments over the years.  

The first state-run institution of higher education was the University of Costa Rica, founded as the only higher education body up through 1971, when the Costa Rican Institute of Technology was founded. Afterwards, the National University in Heredia (UNA) was founded in 1973, the State Distance University (UNED) was founded in 1977. In 1979, the first private university, the Central American Autonomous University (UACA), opened the door to the establishment of a large number of private universities in the country beginning in 1986  

NUMBER OF REGULAR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND SERVICES THROUGH THE YEAR 2000  

LITERACY RATE:

The literacy rate is at 97% and educational opportunities are high, since 92.6% of the population starts primary education and more than 47% go on to secondary education. State university education enjoys great prestige due to its high level of academics, recognized not only in the country but throughout the Americas.

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS TO COSTA RICA, totals.

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS TO COSTA RICAS, by 

From January through March, 1998-2000 in millions of U.S.  $  

The SINAC,  SISTEMA NACIONAL DE AREAS DE CONSERVACION (the National Area Preservation System) is a de-centralized entity governed by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. It looks after forest materials, wildlife, and protected areas. Its functions are directed toward reaching sustainability in planned management and safeguarding the country’s natural resources.  

Most forests are protected by the Costa Rican government in large preservation areas under different names such as national parks, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, protected zones, forest reserves, and biological corridors. It bears mentioning the efforts on the part of different private national and international organizations on behalf of preserving the natural resources, which significantly increases the total percentage of protected areas in the country.  

It is also worth pointing out the popular topic of environmental services and the marketing and sale of carbon sinks. The goal is to reduce the negative impact on the environment caused by immense and continual emission of gases that have a greenhouse effect. These gases  are produced by the industrialized countries who are primarily responsible for their impact on the climate worldwide. Other countries offer so-called emission reduction certificates for sale.  

In order to follow through with this idea, re-planting trees is being promoted in the national arena. Programs and incentives for preservation of the primary forest have been created to widen the areas covered by forest and to prevent the generation of more carbon dioxide, with the idea of capturing what is produced by other countries.  

Between 1950 and 1990, due to the utilization of fossil fuels and production of cement throughout the world alone, carbon dioxide emissions reached 159 billion tons. Of that amount, 76% was caused by the industrialized nations, while deforestation represented the second contributing factor at the world level.  

During the last 150 years, the concentration of carbon dioxide reached 30% when compared to the same levels in 1750. It is estimated that 65% was caused by the use of fossil fuels: coal, hydrocarbons, and natural gas. Some 33% was due to changes in land usage: forest fires and deforestation. If this continues, in 2050 it will have doubled and will have tripled by 2100. The dimensions of the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide can be easily witnessed, as can the importance of producing and marketing “fresh air.” 

Our country deserves being the primary initiator of this new mode of environmental preservation at the world level, since it has caused carcoal to be a marketable item in international business. There are even prestigious international brokerage houses that affirm that there is no other charcoal in the world that meets the quality our country offers. “Among the countries on the road to development, Costa Rica is the one with the most ensemble implementation projects and it is the only country with an environmental strategy for that material.”  

Preliminary chart through October 1999; marine areas are not included

Report Sources:  

Information compiled and composed by Olman  Hernández Lobo, ICT Sales Department.  

In virtue whereof this translation from Spanish to English and which consists of eleven pages is issued in San Jose on February thirteenth, two thousand one.   The legal stamps have been added and canceled.

Roxana Gutiérrez Font