COSTA RICA. (REPÚBLICA DE COSTA RICA.) Constitution and Government. THE Republic of Costa Rica, an independent State since the year 1821, and forming part from 1824 to 1839 of the Confederation of Central America, is governed under a Constitution first promulgated in 1859, but modified very frequently since that date. Practically there was no constitution between 1870 and 1882. The legislative power is vested in a Chamber of Representatives-one representative to every 10,000 inhabitants-chosen in electoral assemblies, the members of which are returned by the suffrage of all who are able to live 'respectably.' There were 537 electors in 1889, and 26 deputies. The members of the Chamber are elected for the term of four years, one-half retiring every two years. The executive authority is in the hands of a president, elected, in the same manner as the Congress, for the term of four years. President of the Republic.-General Don Bernardo Soto; succeeded, on death of previous President, March 12, 1885, and was elected May 1886. The administration is carried on, under the President, by four ministers -viz., of the Interior; of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Worship; of Commerce and Finance; and of War and Marine. Area and Population. The area of the Republic is estimated at 20,000 English square miles. A census was taken in November 1883, and the official results show the population to number 182,073-89,789 males and 92,284 females--besides an additional 18,207 estimated or unenumerated, and 3,500 aboriginesgiving a total of 203,780. In 1888 there were 1,514 marriages, 9,204 births (18.5 per cent. illegitimate), and 5,110 deaths, giving a surplus of 4,094. The population on December 31, 1885, was estimated at 213,785 (193,144 exclusive of aborigines), including 570 Spaniards, 240 Germans, 198 French; but an estimate of December 31, 1888, only gives 205,730. The population European descent, many of them pure Spanish blood, dwell mostly around the capital, the city of San José (population 18,000), and in the towns of Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Limon. It is stated that during 1887 there were 1,000 immigrants, half Jamaicans and half Italians. Instruction. In 1888 there were 201 primary schools with 12,733 pupils, besides 90 private schools with 2,500 pupils. In 1884 the number of children between 6 and 14 years of age was 27,245. FF 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. Finance. The revenue for the five years ending March 31, 1889, was, in pesos: 1884-85, 1,965,374; 1885-86, 2,387,290; 1886-87, 2,435,189; 1887-88, 3,094,153; 1888-89, 3,687,594. The expenditure for 1888-89 was, in pesos, 3,476,722. The estimates for 1889-90 are: Revenue, 4,287,686 ; expenditure, 4,183,798. In 1888-89 the largest items of expenditure were: Debt, 634.887; war and national defence, 439,802; public instruction, 430,358; public works, 417,512. Costa Rica's internal debt was cancelled December 1887. The foreign debt of the Republic consisted of a six per cent. loan, of the nominal amount of 1,000,0007., contracted in England in 1871, and a 7 per cent. loan, of the nominal amount of 2,400,0007.-issued at 82-contracted in 1872. The amount outstanding in January 1887 was 2,691,3007., and the accumulated interest amounted to 2,119,5127. This debt has been converted into a total amount of 2.000,000l. storling at 5 per cent. from January 1, 1888, and has been taken over by the Costa Rica Railway Company. There is 870,245 pesos of Government paper-money in circulation (March 1889). Defence. Costa Rica has an army of 600 men, and on a war footing can command 31,824 militia, as every male between 18 and 50 is bound to serve. Industry and Commerce. Almost anything can be grown in Costa Rica, but in 1888 the principal agricultural products were coffee and bananas. Maize, rice, wheat, potatoes, are commonly cultivated. In 1888 the agricultural produce was valued at 16,523,014 pesos. Gold and silver mines are worked; the value of the produce in 1888 being 37,496 pesos. In 1887 the live stock consisted of 233,217 cattle, 45,662 horses, and 1,861 sheep, valued at, in all, 4,423.483 pesos. The following is the value in pesos of the imports and exports for 1884-88 Imports 3,521,921 3.660.931 3,537.651 5,601,225 5.201,922 Exports 4,219,617 3.296.508 3,225,807 6,236,563 5,713,792 Of the imports in 1888 (4.742.253 pesos) 365,282 pesos represented railway materials. The most important export is coffee, the quantity exported in the year 1888 amounting to 10,258 tons, valued at 4,742,000 pesos. The other important exports are bananas 530.765 pesos; hides, 64,268 pesos, and skins, 11,955 pesos; caoutchouc, 11.388 pesos; mother-o'-pearl, 18,390 pesos; plants, 23,658 pesos. Of the coffee exported, 6,025 tons, valued at 440,000%, went to England, and 3,175 tons, valued at 214,760%., went to the United States. The value of the imports from Great Britain in 1888 was 1,649,402 pesos; from the United States, 1,793,877 pesos; Germany, 833,882 pesos; and exports to Great Britain, 2,884,161 pesos; United States, 2,077,315 pesos; Germany, 294,391 pesos. Coffee fluctuates so much in yield that efforts are being made to develop other cultures, as bananas, tobacco, sugarcane, &o. The commercial intercourse of Costa Rica is largely with the United Kingdom, but it is not reported on in the 'Annual Statement' published by the Board of Trade, which throws the statistics of the Republic, together with other States, under the general heading of Central America.' (For the value of the imports and exports thus given see GUATEMALA.) Shipping and Communications. In 1887 there entered the ports of Costa Rica 293 vessels of 454,092 tons. In 1888 the number of vessels was 303. The vessels mostly belonged to the United States. In 1888 Costa Rica had railways of a total length of 180 miles, between Limon and Reventazon; and a further extension to Cartago, 51 miles, is being carried out. In 1887-88 (March 31), 2,633,809 letters, newspapers, &c., circulated through the post-offices. There are (1888) telegraph lines of a total length of 600 English miles, with 31 telegraph offices. The number of messages in 1887-88 was 112,639, the receipts being 31,176 pesos. Money, Weights, and Measures. The money, weights, and measures of Costa Rica, and the British equivalents, are MONEY. The Dollar, of 100 Centavas: normal value, 4s.; approximate value, 38. 1d. 6 dol. 50 c.17. (1888). WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. The metric system is now in use; the following are the old weights and The old weights and measures of Spain are in general use, but the introduction of the French metric system is contemplated. Diplomatic and Consular Representatives. 1. OF COSTA RICA IN GREAT BRITAIN. Minister.-Manuel M. Peralta. 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN COSTA RICA. Minister and Consul-General.-J. P. Harriss-Gastrell. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Costa Rica, 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Anuario estadístico de la República de Costa Rica. Año de 1889. San José, 1889. Estadistica del comercio exterior de la República de Costa Rica. 1888. San Jose, 1889. Memoria de la secretaria de hacienda y comercio. 5. San José, 1889. Villavicencio (Enrique), Director of Statistical Bureau. República de Costa Rica. Año de 1886. San José, 1886. Report by Consul Sharpe on the Trade and Commerce of Costa Rica in 1888, in No. 59 Diplomatic and Consular Reports.' 1889. Trade of Central America with the United Kingdom, in 'Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1888.' Imp. 4. London, 1889. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Bates (H. W.), Central and South America. New edition. London, 1882 Belly (Félix), A travers l'Amérique centrale. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1872. Biolley (Paul), Costa Rica and her Future. Washington, 1889. Boyle (Frederick), Ride across a Continent: a Personal Narrative of Wanderings through Nicaragua and Costa Rica. 2 vols. 8. London, 1868. Caceres (J. M.), Geografia de Centro-America. Paris, 1882. Fröbel (Julius), Aus Amerika. 2 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1857-58. Marr (N.), Reise nach Centralamerika. 2 vols. 8. Hamburg, 1863. Morelot (L.), Voyage dans l'Amérique centrale. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1859. Peralta (Manuel M.), Costa Rica: its Climate, Constitution, and Resources. With a survey of its present financial position. 8. London, 1873. Scherzer (Karl, Ritter von), Statistisch-commerzielle Ergebnisse einer Reise um die Erde. 8. Leipzig, 1867. Scherzer (Karl, Ritter von), Wanderungen durch die mittelamerikanischen Freistaaten. 8. Braunschweig, 1857. Wagner (Moritz), Die Republik Costa Rica in Centralamerika. 8. Leipzig, 1856. DENMARK. (KONGERIGET DANMARK.) Reigning King. Christian IX., born April 8, 1818, the fourth son of the late Duke Wilhelm of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, and of Princess Louise of Hesse Cassel. Appointed to the succession of the crown of Denmark by the treaty of London of May 8, 1852, and by the Danish law of succession of July 31, 1852. Succeeded to the throne on the death of King Frederik VII., November 15, 1863. Married, May 26, 1842, to Queen Louise, born September 7, 1817, the daughter of Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse-Cassel. Children of the King. I. Prince Frederik, heir apparent, born June 3, 1843; married July 28, 1869, to Princess Louisa, daughter of King Carl XV. of Sweden and Norway. Offspring of the union are six children :-1. Prince Christian, born September 29, 1870. 2. Prince Karl, born August 3, 1872. 3. Princess Lowisa, born February 17, 1875. 4. Prince Harald, born October 8, 1876. 5. Prince Ingeborg, born August 2, 1878. 6. Princess Thyra, born March 14, 1880. 7. Prince Gustav, born March 4, 1887. II. Princess Alexandra, born December 1, 1844; married, March 10, 1853, to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. III. Prince Wilhelm, born December 24, 1845; admiral in the Danish navy; elected King of the Hellenes, under the title of Georgios I., by the Greek National Assembly, March 31, 1863; married, October 27, 1867, to Olga Constantinowna, GrandDuchess of Russia. IV. Princess Marie Dagmar (Empress Maria-Feodorovna), born November 26, 1847; married, November 9, 1866, to Alexander III., Emperor of Russia. V. Princess Thyra, born September 29, 1853; married, December 21, 1878, to Prince Ernest August, Duke of Cumberland. VI. Prince Waldemar, born October 27, 1858; married, October 20, 1885, to Princess Marie d'Orléans, eldest daughter |