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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 7.5 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 8.2% | 4.7% | -1% | 5% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 2.3% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | ||
| 3.5% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 2.7% |
*Estimate
(2018 estimate)
| 0.8% | 0% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.7% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 9.6% | 9.5% | 9.3% | 12% | 11.5% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 40.9% | 44.9% | 48.6% | 53.5% | 57.1% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| -5.6% | -5.3% | -6.2% | -6% | -6.2% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: B+
Moody's: B1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 2.9 billion | USD 3.0 billion | N/A |
-3.1 % (2018 estimate)
33.7% (2018)
0.06% (2018)
0.16% (2018)
Bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; beef; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
Raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials
US 40.9%, Belgium 6.3%, Panama 5.6%, Netherlands 5.6%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Guatemala 5%(2017)
US 38.1%, China 13.1%, Mexico 7.3% (2017)
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 2,204 million | USD 2,742 million | USD 2,134 million |
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 77 million | USD 159 million | USD 58 million |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | 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:
74 out of 190 countries
Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 144 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 78 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 25 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 49 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 15 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 110 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 66 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 80 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 111 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 137 out of 190 countries
World Bank - Doing Business 2019
62 out of 141 countries (2019)
Ranking: 61 / Score: 65.3 (Moderately free)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Roman Catholic 71.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 12.3%, other Protestant 2.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.5%, other 2.4%, none 10.4% (2016 est.)
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
| 3.05 million | 3.81 million | 4.55 million | 4.85 million | 5.14 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2018 |
| 34.3% | 43.1% | 59.1% | 79.3% |
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 97.7%
Female: 97.8%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
2.7% (last available estimate, 2017)
48.3 (last available estimate, 2017)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Free
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed: 15.5% Mobile: 169.9% (2018)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)