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Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Costa Rica economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Costa Rica best banks and safest banks are also available.
Frontier Markets Report | Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a long history of actively and successfully seeking outside investment. However, the country is dealing with high unemployment and an uncertain fiscal outlook, given that the government plans to ramp up spending on social programs, which could raise the debt level.
USD 7.6 billion (2016)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved January 2017
USD 61.5 billion (2017, estimate)
Intl$ 84.4 billion (2017, estimate)
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| 8.8% | 7.9% | 2.7% | -1% | 5% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* | ||
| 1.8% | 3% | 3.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
*Estimate
USD 12,381.8 (2017, estimate)
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2017* |
| 0.06% | 0.06% | 0.06% | 0.06% | 0.07% |
*Estimate
(2016 estimate)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 5.2% | 4.5% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 2.6% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 8.3% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 36% | 39.3% | 42.4% | 44.5% | 46.9% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| -5.6% | -6% | -5.8% | -5.7% | -5.3% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: BB-
Moody's: Ba1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated as of January 24th 2017)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
-4.5% (2017 estimate)
30.5% (2015)
0.06% (2015)
0.2% (2015)
Bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; beef; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
Raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials
US 33.6%, China 6.2%, Mexico 4.6%, Nicaragua 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2%, Guatemala 4% (2015)
US 45.3%, China 9.8%, Mexico 7.1% (2015)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 3,091 million | USD 2,748 million | USD 2,850 million |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 308 million | USD 83 million | USD 141 million |
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 354.2 million | USD 50.0 million | N/A | N/A |
N/A
N/A
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 62 out of 190 countries (2016)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 125 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 125 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 52 out of 190 countries
Getting credit: 7 out of 190 countries
Protecting investors: 165 out of 190 countries
Trading across border: 71 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 62 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 53 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 27 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 107 out of 190 countries
54 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Ranking: 50 / Score: 67.37 (Moderately free) (2017)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
| 3.051 million | 3.81 million | 4.534 million | 4.91 million | 5.216 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 34% | 43% | 59% | 77% |
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 97.7%
Female: 97.8% (2015 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write)
1.4% (2014)
48.5 (2014)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed 17.18% Mobile 150.66% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)