Home Why Invest in Costa Rica? Economic growth

Economic growth

  • One of the pillars of the Costa Rica´s economic development has been trade liberalization, which has allowed exports to surpass its 30% ratio of GDP in 1980 to a current 50% rate (includes exports of goods and services)
  • This trade liberalization has been followed by a series of structural changes, that have led to a productive transformation, diversification of the economy and a higher level of investment
  • The real GDP has been increasing in a compound annual growth rate of 5.3% since 1991
  • These decades of peace and democracy, stability and economic growth have translated into important social achievements. In the last 25 years poverty was reduced from 45% to less than 18%
  • Costa Rica has one of the highest levels of education and health attainment in Latin America, which it is also one of the best in the world. It has been able to provide broad access to services like health, social security, water and basic services for the entire population
  • The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, ranks the Costa Rican educational system 32nd out of 132 economies (among the first quarter), being the highest in Latin America