Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/831

 RELIGION AND INSTRUCTION — JUSTICE— FINANCE The vital statistics for three years were as follows : —

Marriages

Birth*

Deaths

Increase

8,042 8,755 4,378

lui migration

KiuigrmLiOD

1916

1917 1918

2,012 1.803 1.S27

19,004 18,412

I 10,166 10,249 14,034

4,999

. ,0H

Of the total births in 1918, 51 per cent, were males and 49 per cent, females, and 75 per cent, legitimate and 25 per cent, illegitimate.

The popnlation of European descent, many of them pure Spanish blood, dwell mostly around the capital, the city of San Jose (38,016, or with suburbs. 51.658), and in the towns of Alajuela (9,177), Cartago (14,398), Heredia (9, 328), Liberia (2,639), Punta Arenas (5,283), and Limon (7,790). There are some 18,000 coloured British West Indians, mostly in Limon Province, on the banana farms.

For the purpose of public health the country has been divided into 26 districts, superintended by medical men paid by the national Treasury. The Rockefeller Institute has established a branch in Costa Rica to combat ankilostomiasis, and the Medical Officer in charge is giving most valuable advice and work to the Costa Ricau authorities.

Religion and Instruction.

The Roman Catholic is the religion of the State, but there is entirely religious liberty under the Constitution. The Bishop of San Jo.- suffragan of the Archbishop of Guatemala. Elementary instruction is com- pulsory and free. Elementary schools are provided and maintained by local school councils, while the national government pays the teachers, besides making subventions in aid of local funds. In 191S, there were open "315 elementary schools ; the teachers numbered 950, and the enrolled pupils 25.857, the average attendance being 19,672. For secondary instruction there are at San Jose a lyceum for boys with 357 pupils in 1918, and a college for girls with 350 pupils. A normal school established in 1915 at Heredia has 220 pupils. The towns of Cartago, Alajuela. and Heredia. have each a college. For professional instruction there is a Medical Faculty, and also schools of Law, Pharmacy, and Dentistry.

Spanish is the universal language of the country.

Justice.

Justice is administered by the Supreme Court of Justice, two Appeal Courts , and the Court of Cassation. There are also subordinate courts in the separate provinces, and local justices throughout the Republic. Capital punishment cannot be inflicted. In 1918 there were 5,813 convictions of misdemeanour, and 1,278 of crime.

Finance.

The revenue and expenditure for five years have been (in colones, worth about 12d. in 1919, £1 = Colones 20) as follows :—

— 1916 1917 191S 1919 1920'

R«Teane • • I 700,312 656,397 7C0.943 5l.'4,31o 633,550

Rxp«Bditur«. . . 911,281 1,203, 2:_'2 1,137,971 467,073 587,668

I ;

1 Estimates.