Costa Rica is among the top 30 leading exporters of
high-tech products (Human Development Report, 2001).
The
UNCTAD in its 2002 World Investment Report classified
Costa Rica as one of the six most successful countries
in the attraction of the FDI. Also in the E-commerce
and Development Report 2002, states that Costa Rica
can potentially enhance export competitiveness and produce
high value-added services that gives a major boost to
the local economy. At the same time, the growth of the
domestic IT industry has led more and more firms to
use ICT in their business activities, enabling them
to move rapidly into e-commerce, e-banking and e-tourism.
According
to the Economist Intelligence Unit, San José
is the city with the best quality of life in Latin America,
The study also highlights Costa Rica as the country
with the longest uninterrupted democracy government.
In
a context of sustainable development Costa Rica is ranked
9th out of 142 countries in the Environmental Sustainability
Index (World Economic Forum, 2002)
COSTA RICA MAIN EXPORTS:
Electronic components, textiles, bananas, coffee, medical
devices, pineapples, foliage and ornamentals, fish and
seafood, processed foods.
STANDARD OF LIVING INDICATORS IN COSTA RICA
Life expectancy: 76.1 years
Literacy rate: 95.5%
Educational Institutions: 6147 primary and secondary
schools and 50 universities
Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2002).
Youth literacy: 98.3%
Population served with piped water: 99%
Public health services coverage: 90.4% of population
Health expenditures: 27.8% of government budget
Access to telephone service: 92% of population
According
to the United Nations' Human Development Index (HDI)
for 2002, Costa Rica has one of the highest ratings
among developing nations: United States # 6
Ireland # 18
Singapore # 25
Costa Rica # 43
Mexico # 54
Malasya # 59
POLITICAL
ENVIRONMENT OF COSTA RICA
Traditional and stable democracy, army abolished in
1949.
Lowest risk rating in Latin America.
Business environment and legal framework open to foreign
investment.
No limitation on foreign control of corporations and
ownership of property.
The
political structure establishes three independent powers:
1. Executive: President and Ministers
2. Legislative: 57 elected Representatives
3. Judiciary The Presidential term consists of 4-year
periods without re-election. The current President of
Costa Rica is Oscar Arias Sánchez (2006-2010).
COSTA
RICA MARKET ACCESS
Duty free access to US (CBI)
Preferential access to European and Asian markets (GSP)
Free Trade Agreements with Mexico, Canada, Chile and
Dominican Republic
Active involvement in the implementation of the Free
Trade Area of the Americas
Currently in CAFTA.
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Quick Facts About
Costa Rica:
GEOGRAPHY
Country capital: San José
Area: 51,000 square kilometers (19,652 sq. miles)
Languague: Spanish
Location: Located in the Central American isthmus, immediately north of Panama, with ports in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and 153 highway miles between them.
COSTA RICA POPULATION
4.0 million
Density: 78.4 inhabitants per square kilometer (203.5 inhabitants per sq. mile)
Major metropolitan center: San Jose (1 M )
By sex: men: 49,86% women: 50,14%
Total labor force: 1,7 million
Economically active population: 42.3%
Unemployment rate 2008: 4.6%
Underemployment rate 2008: 7.6 %
ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF COSTA RICA(YEAR 2008)
| GDP in millions of US$ |
16,841 |
| Per capita GDP in US$ |
4,130 |
| Exports (FOB) in millions of US$ |
5,224 |
| Imports (CIF) in millions of US$ |
6,997 |
| Inflation rate |
10.0% |
| Devaluation rate |
9.9% |
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