About Costa Rica

Languages

Spanish, with a southwestern Caribbean Creole dialect of English spoken around the Limon area.

Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--99% grades 1-6, 71% grades 7-9.

Literacy--96%.

Health: Infant mortality rate--9.45/1,000.

Life expectancy: men 74.61 yrs., women 79.94 yrs.

Work force (2006 est., 1.866 million; this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica legally and illegally).

Agriculture: 13%

Industry: 22%

Services: 64%.