Unlike many of their Central American neighbors, present-day Costa Ricans are largely of European rather than mestizo descent; Spain was the primary country of origin.It is true that few of the native Indians survived European contact; the indigenous population today numbers about 29,000 or less than 1% of the population. Descendants of 19th century Jamaican immigrant workers constitute an English-speaking minority and -- at 3% of the population -- number about 96,000. An important ethnic group in Costa Rica are Nicaraguans who represent 10% of the population. Most of these Nicaraguans are refugees from the Sandinista regime that existed in Nicaragua; the main migrants were those of German, Polish, Italian, and Jewish ancestry, but today there is a growing number of Amerindian people who migrate for seasonal work opportunities as agricultural workers. There is also a growing number of Colombian, Panamanian and Peruvian refugees who call Costa Rica home. An example of Costa Rica's hospitality and peaceful government in Latin America
Stats
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 rate:
0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.87 male(s)/female
total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
11.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.82 years
male:
73.3 years
female:
78.47 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.52 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Costa Rican(s)
adjective:
Costa Rican
Ethnic groups:
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%*
- this information is not 100% accurate and needs further reviewing.
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Evangelical Protestant, approximately 14%, other less than 1%
Languages:
Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
94.8%
male:
94.7%
female:
95% (1995 est.)
See also
External links
Last updated: 08-21-2005 03:21:36
