Introduction
Background
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 indigenous populations, 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. On 1 December 1948, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. 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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates
10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 51,060 sq km
water: 40 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
comparison ranking: total 129
Land boundaries
total: 661 km
border countries (2): Nicaragua 313 km; Panama 348 km
Coastline
1,290 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
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 active volcanoes
Elevation
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,819 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 746 m
Natural resources
hydropower
Land use
agricultural land: 37.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 25.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 51.5% (2018 est.)
other: 11.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
1,015 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population
Natural hazards
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba
Geography - note
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups
White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)
Languages
Spanish (official), English
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)
Demographic profile
Costa Rica's political stability, high standard of living, and well-developed social benefits system set it apart from its Central American neighbors. Through the government's sustained social spending - almost 20% of GDP annually - Costa Rica has made tremendous progress toward achieving its goal of providing universal access to education, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Since the 1970s, expansion of these services has led to a rapid decline in infant mortality, an increase in life expectancy at birth, and a sharp decrease in the birth rate. The average number of children born per women has fallen from about 7 in the 1960s to 3.5 in the early 1980s to below replacement level today. Costa Rica's poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries, but it has stalled at around 20% for almost two decades.
Costa Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born, with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas, which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field.
Age structure
0-14 years: 21.49% (male 577,782/female 552,041)
15-64 years: 68.59% (male 1,813,827/female 1,791,510)
65 years and over: 9.92% (2023 est.) (male 238,971/female 282,481)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.1
youth dependency ratio: 29.8
elderly dependency ratio: 15.3
potential support ratio: 6.5 (2021 est.)
Population distribution
roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population
Urbanization
urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.462 million SAN JOSE (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 157
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.6 years (2023 est.)
male: 77 years
female: 82.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 61
Gross reproduction rate
0.68 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
70.9% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
7.9% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
3.3 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density
1.1 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 99% of population
rural: 97.1% of population
total: 98.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 1% of population
rural: 2.9% of population
total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 2.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 113
Tobacco use
total: 8.8% (2020 est.)
male: 12.9% (2020 est.)
female: 4.6% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 140
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
48.4% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 2%
women married by age 18: 17.1% (2018 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98.1% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 17 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2019)
Environment
Environment - 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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Climate
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Land use
agricultural land: 37.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 25.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 51.5% (2018 est.)
other: 11.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 14.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 8.02 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 5.61 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.46 million tons (2014 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 18,396 tons (2014 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1.3% (2014 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 830 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 2.08 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
113 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: República de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
etymology: the name means "rich coast" in Spanish and was first applied in the early colonial period of the 16th century
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named in honor of Saint Joseph
Administrative divisions
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution
history: many previous; latest effective 8 November 1949
amendments: proposals require the signatures of at least 10 Legislative Assembly members or petition of at least 5% of qualified voters; consideration of proposals requires two-thirds majority approval in each of three readings by the Assembly, followed by preparation of the proposal as a legislative bill and its approval by simple majority of the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership; a referendum is required only if approved by at least two thirds of the Assembly; amended many times, last in 2020
Legal system
civil law system based on Spanish civil code; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch
chief of state: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022); First Vice President Stephan BRUNNER Neibig (since 8 May 2022); Second Vice President Mary Denisse MUNIVE Angermuller (since 8 May 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022); First Vice President Stephan BRUNNER Neibig (since 8 May 2022); Second Vice President Mary Denisse MUNIVE Angermuller (since 8 May 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections/appointments: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote (40% threshold) for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); election last held on 6 February 2022 with a runoff on 3 April 2022 (next to be held in February 2026 with a runoff in April 2026)
election results:
2022: Rodrigo CHAVES Robles elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 27.3%, Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 16.8%, Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PNR) 14.9%, Eliecer FEINZAIG Mintz (PLP) 12.4%, Lineth SABORIO Chaverri (PUSC) 12.4%, Jose Maria VILLALTA Florez-Estrada 8.7% (PFA), other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 52.8%, Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 47.2%
2018: Carlos ALVARADO Quesada elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 25%; Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 21.6%; Antonio ALVAREZ (PLN) 18.6%; Rodolfo PIZA (PUSC) 16%; Juan Diego CASTRO (PIN) 9.5%; Rodolfo HERNANDEZ (PRS) 4.9%, other 4.4%; percent of vote in second round - Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 60.7%; Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 39.3%
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 7 provinces - by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 6 February 2022 (next to be held in February 2026)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLN 24.8%, PPSD 15%, PUSC 11.4%, PNR 10.1%, PLP 9.1%, 8.3%, other 21.3%; seats by party - PLN 19, PPSD 10, PUSC 9, PNR 7, PLP 6, PFA 6; composition - men 30, women 27, percent of women 47.4%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with 5 judges and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8-year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly
subordinate courts: appellate courts; trial courts; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal
Political parties and leaders
Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE [Oscar Andres LOPEZ Arias]
Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA [Ana Patricia MORA Castellanos]
Christian Democratic Alliance or ADC [Mario REDONDO Poveda]
Citizen Action Party or PAC [Marta Eugenia SOLANO Arias]
Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO Alvarez]
Liberal Progressive Party or PLP [Eliecer FEINZAIG Mintz]
Libertarian Movement Party or ML [Victor Danilo CUBERO Corrales]
National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]
National Liberation Party or PLN [Kattia RIVERA Soto]
National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos Luis AVENDANO Calvo]
New Generation or PNG [Rodolfo SOLIS Herrera]
New Republic Party or PNR [Francisco Javier PRENDAS Rodriguez]
Patriotic Alliance [Jorge ARAYA Westover]
Social Christian Republican Party or PRS [Otto ROBERTO Vargas]
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC of UNIDAD [Randall QUIROS Bustamante]
Social Democratic Progress Party or PPSD [Luz Mary ALPIZAR Loaiza]
International organization participation
BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Catalina CRESPO SANCHO (since 19 April 2023)
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 499-2980
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
email address and website:
embcr-us@rree.go.cr
http://www.costarica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/21
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington DC
honorary consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia A. TELLES (since 11 March 2022)
embassy: Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: 3180 St. George's Place, Washington DC 20521-3180
telephone: [506] 2519-2000
FAX: [506] 2519-2305
email address and website:
acssanjose@state.gov
https://cr.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk placed toward the hoist side of the red band; Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutionary activity in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors into the national flag and a central red stripe was added; today the blue color is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance, white denotes peace, happiness, and wisdom, while red represents the blood shed for freedom, as well as the generosity and vibrancy of the people
note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand but with the blue and red colors reversed
National symbol(s)
yiguirro (clay-colored robin); national colors: blue, white, red
National anthem
name: "Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica)
lyrics/music: Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ
note: adopted 1949; the anthem's music was originally written for an 1853 welcome ceremony for diplomatic missions from the US and UK; the lyrics were added in 1903
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (1 cultural, 3 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Guanacaste Conservation Area (n); Cocos Island National Park (n); Precolumbian Stone Spheres (c); La Amistad International Park (n)
Economy
Economic overview
trade-based upper middle-income economy; green economy leader, having reversed deforestation; investing in blue economy infrastructure; declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19; lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$109.26 billion (2021 est.)
$101.562 billion (2020 est.)
$105.85 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 88
Real GDP per capita
$21,200 (2021 est.)
$19,800 (2020 est.)
$20,800 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 87
GDP (official exchange rate)
$61.855 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.73% (2021 est.)
0.72% (2020 est.)
2.1% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 168
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: B (2020)
Moody's rating: B2 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: B (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 5.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 20.6% (2017 est.)
services: 73.9% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 53; industry 143; agriculture 125
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 64.2% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 17.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 17.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 33.3% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -32.9% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
sugar cane, pineapples, bananas, milk, oil palm fruit, fruit, oranges, watermelons, cassava, rice
Industries
medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Labor force
2.426 million (2021 est.)
note: official estimate; excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica
comparison ranking: 118
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 45.4% (2021 est.)
male: 37%
female: 56.3%
comparison ranking: total 6
Population below poverty line
21% (2019 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 25.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 36.9% (2014 est.)
Budget
revenues: $9.664 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $14.001 billion (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$2.136 billion (2021 est.)
-$638.741 million (2020 est.)
-$826.158 million (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 161
Exports
$23.761 billion (2021 est.)
$19.996 billion (2020 est.)
$22.738 billion (2019 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
comparison ranking: 82
Exports - partners
United States 38%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5%, Guatemala 5%, Panama 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
medical instruments, bananas, pineapples, orthopedic appliances, food preparations (2021)
Imports
$22.298 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$17.701 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$20.314 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 87
Imports - partners
United States 41%, China 13%, Mexico 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, medical instruments, packaged medicines (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.921 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$7.232 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$8.937 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 95
Exchange rates
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
620.785 (2021 est.)
584.901 (2020 est.)
587.295 (2019 est.)
576.973 (2018 est.)
567.513 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 3.674 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 10,072,472,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 712 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 733 million kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1,321,498,000 kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 100; transmission/distribution losses 102; imports 79; exports 67; consumption 101
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 12.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 71.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 14.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 63,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
8.115 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 8.114 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 111
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 553,455 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 88
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 7,834,435 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 102
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the fixed broadband market is one of the few parts of Costa Rica’s telecom sector to experience solid growth in recent years, both in size and revenue; the country’s fiber network expanded by 56% in 2020, reaching about 176,200km; fixed-line broadband traffic volume also increased by more than 30%, year-on-year; other areas of the market have proven relatively lack luster, with slow or even negative growth; some of this can be attributed to the economic and social impacts of the pandemic, but the fixed-line and mobile sectors have both been struggling to produce decent results since well before the start of the crisis; the rollout of 5G network infrastructure in Costa Rica is unlikely to occur to any scale before 2023, but this may be one of the few remaining areas of opportunity open to investors outside of fixed-line internet and pay TV services (2021)
domestic: roughly 11 per 100 fixed-line and 152 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
international: country code - 506; landing points for the ARCOS-1, MAYA-1, and the PAC submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
Broadcast media
over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station nationwide; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022)
Internet users
total: 4.316 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 83% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 106
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 992,725 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 74
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,948,546 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.13 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
47
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
114
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Pipelines
662 km refined products (2013)
Railways
total: 278 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 278 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated
comparison ranking: total 124
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Puerto Limon
container port(s) (TEUs): Puerto Limon (1,319,372)
Pacific Ocean - Caldera
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security: the Public Force (Fuerza Pública (National Police)), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea), National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas), Border Police (Policia de Fronteras); Ministry of Presidency: Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Special Intervention Unit (UEI) (2023)
note: Costa Rica's armed forces were constitutionally abolished in 1949
Military expenditures
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 153
Military and security service personnel strengths
12-15,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly older, secondhand US equipment (2023)
Military - note
Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from both Colombia and the US; since 2012, the US has also provided some military equipment, including aircraft and patrol boats (2022)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Costa Rican Space Agency (ACE; established 2021); ACE is a non-state, public entity subject to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Telecommunications (2023)
Space program overview
has a small, new program focused on promoting the use of space to develop the country’s economy and industry, including acquiring and utilizing satellites; has built a remote sensing (RS) cube satellite; has relations with the space agencies and commercial space industries of the US and members of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Costa Rica and Nicaragua regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the International Court of Justice (ICJ); in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 29,906 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2021)
stateless persons: 192 (2022)
Illicit drugs
Costa Rica remains a significant transshipment point for cocaine enroute to the United States from South America; a key transit point in international narcotics trafficking; transit and warehousing hub for illicit drug trafficking; growing domestic drug consumption problem; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics