Politics and Economics
Government style:
Presidential Republic
President: Carlos Alvarado Quesada
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Main exports:
Bananas Sugar
Coffee Microchips
Main Industries (% of GDP):
Agriculture- 5.5%
Industry- 20.6%
Services- 73.9%
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Currency:
Costa Rican Colón
$1USD = $601.15 CRC
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html
https://internationalliving.com/countries/costa-rica/the-economy-in-costa-rica/
Fun Fact
Costa Rica has no standing military and hasn't for the past 70 years. After the 44-day civil war in 1948, the military was disbanded and the police force was charged with patrolling the border and keeping the peace. Ticos are very proud of this legacy, especially given the more violent state of their neighboring countries.
Poverty in Costa Rica
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For a country that experiences decent economic growth and is praised for its commitments to peace and environmental protection, one area where Costa Rica is lacking is its poverty rate. Despite being one of the biggest spenders on social assistance programs in their region (nearly $2,000 USD per person in the country), 20% of Ticos live below the poverty line, and that number has been stagnant for years. Many say that the growing gap between the rich and poor exacerbates the problem. But more specifically, the key factor prohibiting a reduction in the poverty rate seems to be education. As of 2013 only 44% of the nation's workforce had a high school diploma. So while job creation has been good for technical, service oriented jobs, these jobs are not accessible to many of the population, especially the poorest.
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As such, Costa Rica is in need of new poverty eradication initiatives, starting with more secure education for the all.
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https://news.co.cr/special-report-costa-ricas-frustratingly-stagnant-poverty-rate/46042/
