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Costa Rica – Important Facts

Costa Rica literally meaning “Rich Coast” officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around 4.5 million, of whom nearly a quarter live in the metropolitan area of the capital and largest city, San Jose.

Costa Rica known for its beaches, mountain ranges, volcanoes and varied wildlife, Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity makes it a popular destination for eco-tourists. Traditionally a producer of agricultural goods such as coffee and bananas, its economy has diversified and tourism now ranks as the country’s number one earner.

The U.S. remains Costa Rica’s largest trading partner and Costa Rica’s largest foreign direct investor. In 2015, the U.S. had a US$1.7 billion trade surplus with Costa Rica primarily due to Intel’s relocation of their chip manufacturing plant in 2014. Intel now operates one of two Global Innovation Center in Costa Rica. 40% of the imports in to Costa Rica come from the U.S. Foreign direct investment in Costa Rica continues to increase and reached US$2.85 billion in 2015. Nearly 53% of that investment came from the U.S.

Facts: Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San Jose, Population: 4.8 million, Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq miles), Major language: Spanish (official) and English, Major religion: Christianity, Life expectancy: 77 years (men) and 82 years (women), Currency: Costa Rican colon.

Important Details

  • Country ISO3:CRI
  • Country Code:188
  • Income Group:Latin America & Caribbean
  • Lending Category:Upper middle income
  • Region:IBRD
  • Currency Unit:Colon
  • WTO Member:YES
  • Trade organisations:CAFTA
  • world rank:50
  • Regional Ranking:10th in the South and Central America/Caribbean Region