Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/535

* COSTA RICA. 461 COSTA RICA. Rica is liealthful and fevers occur oiilj' in regions below an elevation of 150 feet. Floua and Fauna. The vegetation and ani- mal life are characteristic of Central America generally, vvliich forms a part oi the Neotropi- cal region. AuKicuLTURE. Costa Rica is essentially an agricultural countiy, arid is chiefly dependent on the cultivation of eolTee. Xotwilhslanding the sparse population of the country and the lack of transportation facilities, agriculture is in a flourishing condition, as evidenced by the constantly increasing exports of agricultui-al products. This state of afl'airs is due partly to the fertility of the soil and favorable climatic conditions, and particularly to the fact that the larger jjart of the land is held by the State, which rents or sells it in small tracts on very advantageous terms, in some cases distributing it gratuitously, in lots not exceeding 500 hectares (1235 acres). As a result of this policy almost every inhabitant of Costa Rica is a landholder. The cultivation of coffee has been steadily increasing and will undoubt- edly show a greater growth in the future, as a result of the law passed in 1901 abolishing the export duty on that article. According to the census of 1892, there were in Costa Rica 8366 cofTee plantations, with an annual output of over 38,000,000 pounds. In 1894. 23,129,000 pounds of coffee were exported; in 1898, over 43,000.000 pounds; in 1901, over 36,000.000 pounds. Xext to coffee, bananas form the most important agricultural product. The develop- ment of banana-growing has also been ra])id, as seen from the export figures. Thus in 1881 there were exported only about 3500 bunches: by 1890 the exports increased to 1,034,- 765 bunches; while in 1901 they amounted to 3.870,000 bunches. Besides coffee and bananas, there are raised sugar, cacao, rice, and corn, but none of them is exported to any extent. Stock- raising is carried on quite extensively, and the forests are exploited on a steadily increasing scale. JManufactubes. Of manufacturing establish- ments Costa Rica has very few, the largest being the national liquor factory and the national foundry at San Jose. The country is behind the neighboring States in manufacturing. Traksport.tiox and Communication. The Isthmian railway line has been in construction for over twenty years, and in 1900 only twenty- one miles were lacking to connect Port Limon on the Atlantic with Tivives on the Gulf of Nicoya, where a port is to be constructed. The line is being built by an English corporation, and in 1900 had a total length of 137 miles, reaching as far as Alajuela. A branch line toward Lake Nicaragua is also in process of construction. The telegraph lines of Costa Rica have over 900 miles of wire. Commerce. In 1900 Costa Rica o^Tied three small merchant steamers and two sailing ves- sels. The two main ports are visited regularly by eight lines of steamers — American. Chilean. and European. The annual value of the commerce exceeds $12,400,000. the exports only slightly exceeding the imports. The exports for 1900 (not including gold coin) amounted to .$6,000.- 000, of which coffee contributed $3,800,187: bananas. $1.354.38.'i: woods. $382,000; gold and silver in bars, over $240,000; and hides, rubl)er, skins, etc., the remainder. The imports for the same year amounted to about .$6,000,000, and were distributed largely between the United States, England, Germany, and France, in the order named. The im])orts from the United States show an increase from about 33 ])er lent. in 1896 t<3 over 46 per cent, in 1900. The imports of the other three countries show a decrease during the same period. The chief ports are Punta Arenas on the Pacific, and Port Limon on the Atlantic, whose combined shipiiing exceeded, in 1900, 700,000 tons. The annual imjjorts of merchandise from the United Suites into Costa Rica for the period of 1891-1900 averaged $1,- 246,000; the exports from Costa Rica to the United States during the same period averaged $2,907,960. The United States takes almost the entire crop of bananas and a consideralde por- tion of the coffee. In 1901 the import duties were increased 50 per cent., while the expait duties on coffee and the import <luties on m.a- chinery were abolished. Considering the area and population of the country. Costa Rica com- pares favorably in its economic condition with most of the Central and South American coun- tries. The comparative freedom from political disturbances and the favorable climatic condi- tions have attracted foreign capital and immi- gration, factors which have figured prominently in the development of the country. Government. In its form of government, Costa Rica is a rei^ublic. It is governed under a constitution adopted in 1871; but this was not wholly in force until 1882. The executive power is vested in the President, elected in- directly for four years, assisted by a Cabinet of four members. The Congress consists only of a Chamber of Representatives, elected indirectly for four years at the rate of one representative to every 8000 inhabitants. For administrative purposes the Republic is divided into five prov- inces and two comarcas. administered by gov- ernors appointed by the President. Justice is administered by a supreme court, two courts of appeals, a court of cassation, and also provincial courts. Capital punishment is prohibited. To guard the public health, the comitry is divided into twenty-one districts, which are in charge of physicians paid by the Government. The Consti- tution provides for compulsory military service in time of war. On a peace footing the standing army numbers 600 men and the militia about 12,000. The Government owns one gunboat and one torpedo-boat. Finance. The revenue is obtained primarily from customs and excise. The budget at present exceeds $4,000,000. The foreign debt of the Republic has been greatly augmented by the non- payment of interest, and the Government has repeatedly gone into default. By the terms of the latest arrangement with the creditors in 1897 the Government obtained a reduction of interest and agreed to pay up the debt at the rate of £10.000 ($.50,000) per annum, beginning in 1917. In 1901 the foreign debt amounted to $10,129,600: the internal debt in 1900 was $3.- 215.973. The metric system is legally established in the country, but Spanish weights and measures are generally used. Bank.s. The two banks of Costa Rica have a combined capital of about $3,200,000. In 1900 there were 3.000,000 paper pesos in circulation, exchangeable for gold. The metallic monev of the