Costa Rica

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than West Virginia

1,290 km

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes

hydropower

1,015 sq km (2012)

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

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

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.)

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.)

0.75% (2025 est.)

10.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

1.462 million SAN JOSE (capital) (2023)

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.71 (2025 est.)

2.69 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

25.7% (2016)

2.9% (2018 est.)

41.7% (2022 est.)

presidential republic

civil law system based on Spanish civil code; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

ACS, 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

yiguirro (clay-colored thrush)

blue, white, red

the Costa Rican coat of arms highlights the country’s natural beauty and history; three volcanoes, each topped with a white cloud, are surrounded with water, symbolizing the seaports of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; the rising sun in the background stands for the birth of a new nation, and the seven white stars for the country's provinces; the two merchant ships carrying Costa Rica’s flag are a reminder of the maritime trade that shaped the country's history

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

$95.35 billion (2024 est.)

sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, oil palm fruit, milk, fruits, oranges, chicken, cassava, beef (2023)

medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

4.1% (2024 est.)

2.357 million (2024 est.)

24.4% (2023 est.)

13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

USA 40%, Netherlands 6%, China 5%, Guatemala 4%, Belgium 3% (2023)

medical instruments, integrated circuits, orthopedic appliances, bananas, tropical fruits (2023)

USA 38%, China 15%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 3%, Guatemala 3% (2023)

refined petroleum, plastic products, cars, medical instruments, broadcasting equipment (2023)

over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022)

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TI

132 (2025)

8 (2025)

approximately 10-15,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025)

the National Police are lightly armed although small special units are trained and equipped for tactical operations; the US has provided equipment and support to forces such as the Coast Guard, including secondhand US vessels and aircraft (2025)

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 the US (2025)