Country Profile Costa Rica

Capital:  San Jose
Population:  4,253,877 (July 2009 est.)
Currency:  Costa Rican colon (CRC)                                                
Language:  Spanish (official), English
Time zone: UTC-6
Government: Democratic republic
Chief of State: President Laura Chinchilla

  • GDP real growth rate :
    • 3% (2008 est.)
    • 6.8% (2007 est.) 
    • 8.8% (2006 est.)
  • Exports:  $9.675 billion (2008 est.)               
  • Main Export Partners 2007:
    • US 25.7%
    • China 14.1%
    • Netherlands 10.9%
    • UK 6.3%
    • Mexico 5%
  • Imports:  $15.37 billion (2008 est.)
  • Main Import partners 2007:
  • Country dialing code:  +506     
  • Emergency numbers: 911 for medical assistance and police
  • National Airline: Lineas Aéras Costarricenses LACSA (part of group TACA).             
  • Voltage: 110V

Detailed country profile

ECONOMY

GDP real growth rate:

  • 3% (2008 est.)
  • 6.8% (2007 est.)
  • 8.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force by occupation(2006):

  • Agriculture: 14%
  • Industry: 22%
  • Services: 64%

Agriculture products:

  • Bananas
  • Pineapples
  • Coffee
  • Melons
  • Ornamental plants
  • Sugar
  • Corn
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Potatoes
  • Beef
  • Timber

Industries:

  • Microprocessors
  • Food processing
  • Medical equipment
  • Textiles and clothing
  • Construction materials
  • Fertilizer
  • Plastic products

Exports: $9.675 billion (2008 est.)

Export Commodities

  • Bananas
  • Pineapples
  • Coffee
  • Melons
  • Ornamental plants
  • Sugar
  • Seafood
  • Electronic components
  • Medical equipment

Main Export Partners(2007):

  • US 25.7%
  • China 14.1%
  • Netherlands 10.9%
  • UK 6.3%
  • Mexico 5%

Imports: $15.37 billion (2008 est.)

Import commodities:

  • Raw materials
  • Consumer goods
  • Capital equipment
  • Petroleum
  • Construction materials

Import partners:

Ports and Terminal:

  • Caldera
  • Puerto Limon

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2008 est.)

GOVERNMENT

Government Type:Democratic Republic

Executive Branch:

Chief of state: President Laura Chinchilla
Note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
Elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term

Legal system: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for renewable eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

GEOGRAPHY

Land Boundaries: total: 639 km

Border countries:

Climate:

  • Tropical and subtropical
  • Dry season (December to April)
  • Rainy season (May to November)
  • Cooler in highlands

Terrain: Coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation Extremes:

  • Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  • Highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:Hydropower

Environment and international agreement:

Party to:

  • Biodiversity
  • Climate Change
  • Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • Desertification
  • Endangered Species
  • Environmental Modification
  • Hazardous Wastes
  • Law of the Sea
  • Marine Dumping
  • Ozone Layer Protection
  • Wetlands
  • Whaling

       Signed, but not ratified:Marine Life Conservation

Environment and current issues:

  • Deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture
  • Soil erosion
  • Coastal marine pollution
  • Fisheries protection
  • Solid waste management
  • Air pollution

PEOPLE

Ethnic groups:

  • White (including mestizo) 94%
  • Black 3%
  • Amerindian 1%,
  • Chinese 1%
  • Other 1%

Languages:

  • Spanish (official)
  • English

Religion:

  • Roman Catholic 76.3%
  • Evangelical 13.7%
  • Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%
  • Other Protestant 0.7%
  • Other 4.8%
  • None 3.2%

HISTORY

Express History

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Source: The world factbook www.cia.gov


More resources about Costa Rica is available on MercaTrade.com

>>Search for business opportunities in Costa Rica, click here B2B Portal

>>Learn about etiquette in Costa Rica, click here Etiquette Costa Rica

>>Get the list of embassies and consulates in Costa Rica, click here Embassy Costa Rica

>>Find the latest Trade Agreements with Costa Rica, click here Trade Agreement Costa Rica

>>Get our FREE e-book about business in Latin America. Register now!

 

 

 

 


Trade Agreements

Embassies

Country Profile

Business Traveler

Business Etiquette

Import/Export

Marketing

Legal

Payment and Finance

Articles

Trade Green

Trade Safely

Tax Free Zone

Real Estate

Franchise

Tradeshow