Geography and Statistics
Costa Rica is a small country located in Central America, with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
- Capital city: San José
- Land: about the size of West Virginia
- Population: 4.25 million
- Language: Spanish, English
- Life Expectancy: 77.6 years
- Literacy: 94.9%
- Main exports: bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons
- Military: no regular forces since 1949
- Human Development Index (HDI): 50th of 179 countries (measures standard of living, education, long and healthy life)
- Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM): 27th of 108 countries (measures percent of women legislators, senior officials, managers, professionals, gender income disparity)
Statistics compiled from: CIA World Factbook and UNDP Human Development Reports.