COOK ISLANDS (Continued)
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey Henry; Democratic Party, Dr. Thomas Davis
Voting strength (1978): Democratic Party, 16 seats, Cook Islands Party, 6 seats
ECONOMY
GDP: $15.4 million (1977), $860 per capita (1978)
Agriculture: export crops include copra, citrus fruits, pineapples, tomatoes, and bananas, with subsistence crops of yams and taro
Industry: fruit processing
Electric power: 4,000 kW capacity (1981); 13 million kWh produced (1981), 733 kWh per capita
Exports: $3.0 million (1977); copra, fresh and canned fruit
Imports: $16.8 million (1977); foodstuffs, textiles, fuels
Major trade partners: (1970) exports—98% New Zealand, imports—76% New Zealand, 7% Japan
Aid: Australia (1980-83), $2.0 million; Australia and New Zealand (1977), $6.5 million
Government budget: $121 million (1977)
Monetary conversion rate: 1 New Zealand$=US$1.01 (1978/79)
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: none
Highways: 187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: none
Ports: 2 minor
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airfields: 6 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 6 AM, no FM, and no TV stations; 7,000 radio receivers, and 1,186 telephones (1.3 per 100 popl.)
COSTA RICA
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(See reference map III) |
LAND
51,000 km²; 30% agricultural land (8% cultivated, 22% meadows and pasture), 60% forested, 10% waste, urban, and other
Land boundaries: 670 km
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 200 nm; specialized competence over living resources to 200 nm)
Coastline: 1,290 km
PEOPLE
Population: 2,396,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.9%
Nationality: noun—Costa Rican(s); adjective—Costa Rican
Ethnic divisions: 98% white (including mestizo), 2% Negro
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic
Language: Spanish
Literacy: about 90%
Labor force: 770,000 (1980 est.); 26.9% agriculture; 16.2% manufacturing; 18.1% commerce; 7.9% construction; 6.4% transportation, utilities; 22.9% service (government, education, social); 0.2% other; 15% unemployment (1981 est.)
Organized labor: about 13.8% of labor force
GOVERNMENT
Official name: Republic of Costa Rica
Type: unitary republic
Capital: San José
Political subdivisions: seven provinces
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; constitution adopted 1949; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; legal education at University of Costa Rica; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September
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