Population: In 1988 estimated at 28 million rate of annual growth approximately 2 percent in late 1980s.

Education and Literacy: In late 1980s, about 90 percent of children between seven and eleven years of age attended primary school in urban areas number often fell below 70ออออ percent in many rural areas and below 50 percent in more isolated communities. Approximately 30 percent of twelve-year-old population attended secondary school in 1985 significant urban-rural variations. Estimated 80 percent of all university students attended programs in just five cities. Literacy rate estimated at 88 percent in 1987.

Health: Access to and availability of health care and medical services improved substantially in 1970s and 1980s nonetheless, rural and urban poor continued to suffer from higher mortality and morbidity rates. In 1988 life expectancy at birth estimated at sixty-eight years for females and sixty-four years for males.

Language: Spanish.

Ethnic Groups: In late 1980s, mestizos constituted approximately 50 percent of population, whites 25 percent, mulattoes and zambos (black-Indian mix) 20 percent, blacks 4 percent, and Indians 1 percent.

Religion: Over 95 percent of population Roman Catholic in late 1980s remainder primarily various Protestant groups.

Data as of December 1988