OECD Economic Surveys: Costa Rica 2020

Abstract

This Survey was prepared for the Committee by Alberto González Pandiella and Enes Sunel under the supervision of Patrick Lenain. Statistical research assistance was provided by Roland Tusz and the publication coordination by Carolina González. The Survey also benefited from contributions from Gloriana Lang Clachar and Marnix Dek. The Survey was discussed at a meeting of the Economic and Development Review Committee (EDRC) on 19 March 2020 and is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD.

Basic statistics of Costa Rica, 2018

(Numbers in parentheses refer to the OECD average)1

LAND, PEOPLE AND ELECTORAL CYCLE
Population (million)	5.0		Population density per km²	97.9	(37.8)
Under 15 (%)	21.3	(17.8)	Life expectancy at birth (years, 2017)	79.9	(80.1)
Over 65 (%)	9.5	(17.1)	Men (2017)	77.4	(77.5)
International migrant stock (% of population)	8.8	(12.6)	Women (2017)	82.6	(82.9)
Latest 5-year average growth (%)	1.1	(0.6)	Latest general election	February-2018
ECONOMY
Gross domestic product (GDP)			Value added shares (%)
In current prices (billion USD)	60.6		Agriculture, forestry and fishing	5.0		(2.4)
In current prices (billion CRC)	34 937.9		Industry including construction	21.1		(27.3)
Latest 5-year average real growth (%)	3.6	(2.3)	Services	74.0		(70.4)
Per capita (000 USD PPP)	17.8	(47.3)
GENERAL GOVERNMENT Per cent of GDP
Expenditure	29.0	(40.3)	Gross financial debt (OECD: 2017)	53.5	(109.4)
Revenue	24.7	(37.4)	Net financial debt (2019, OECD: 2017)		(69.2)
EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS
Exchange rate (CRC per USD)	576.9		Main exports (% of total merchandise exports)
PPP exchange rate (USA = 1)	393.3		Food and live animals	39.3
In per cent of GDP			Miscellaneous manufactured articles	30.6
Exports of goods and services	33.5	(55.5)	Manufactured goods	9.9
Imports of goods and services	33.2	(51.3)	Main imports (% of total merchandise imports)
Current account balance	-3.3	(0.3)	Machinery and transport equipment	26.6
Net international investment position	-53.5		Chemicals and related products, n.e.s.	18.1
			Manufactured goods	17.7
LABOUR MARKET, SKILLS AND INNOVATION
Employment rate (aged 15 and over, %)	54.4	(57.1)	Unemployment rate, Labour Force Survey (aged 15 and over, %, 2011, OECD: 2018)	10.1		(5.3)
Men	68.0	(65.3)	Youth (aged 15-24, %, 2011, OECD: 2018)	22.2		(11.1)
Women	40.7	(49.4)	Long-term unemployed (1 year and over, %)	1.3		(1.5)
Participation rate (aged 15 and over, %)	60.7	(60.5)	Tertiary educational attainment (aged 25-64, %)	22.6		(36.9)
Average hours worked per year)	2 121	(1734)	Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP, 2016, OECD: 2017)	0.5		(2.6)
ENVIRONMENT
Total primary energy supply per capita (toe, 2017, OECD: 2018)	1.0	(4.1)	CO2 emissions from fuel combustion per capita (tonnes, 2017, OECD: 2018)	1.5		(8.9)
Renewables (%, 2017, OECD: 2018)	48.0	(10.5)	Water abstractions per capita (1 000 m³, 2017)	0.6
Exposure to air pollution (more than 10 μg/m³ of PM 2.5, % of population, 2017)	99.6	(58.7)	Municipal waste per capita (tonnes, 2017)	0.3		(0.5)
SOCIETY
Income inequality (Gini coefficient, 2019, OECD: Latest available)	47.8	(33.1)	Education outcomes (PISA score, 2018)
Relative poverty rate (%, 2019, OECD: 2016)	19.9	(11.6)	Reading	426		(489)
Median disposable household income (000 USD PPP, OECD: 2016)	9.6	(23.9)	Mathematics	402		(492)
Public and private spending (% of GDP)			Science	416		(491)
Health care (2016, OECD: 2018)	7.5	(8.8)	Share of women in parliament (%)	45.6		(29.7)
Pensions (2016, OECD: 2015)	5.8	(8.5)	Net official development assistance (% of GNI, OECD: 2017)			(0.4)
Education (% of GNI, 2017)	7.5	(4.5)

1. The year is indicated in parenthesis if it deviates from the year in the main title of this table. Where the OECD aggregate is not provided in the source database, a simple OECD average of latest available data is calculated where data exist for at least 80% of member countries.

Source: Calculations based on data extracted from databases of the following organisations: OECD, IEA, ILO, IMF, World Bank