December 16th, 2012

Today Carlos told us all about Costa Rica’s economy. He said The economy of Costa Rica is very stable, and depends essentially on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports.Costa Rica major economic resources are its fertile land and frequent rainfall, its well-educated population, and its location in the Central American isthmus, which provides easy access to North and South American markets and direct ocean access to the European and Asian Continents.

Costa Rica has two seasons, both of which have their own agricultural resources: the tropical wet and dry seasons. One-fourth of Costa Rica’s land is dedicated to national forests, often adjoining beaches, which has made the country a popular destination for affluent retirees and tourists.It has one of the best economies in Latin America. In terms of the Environmental Performance Index ranking, Costa Rica is 5th in the world, up from the 15th place in 2006.

Costa Rica used to be known principally as a producer of bananas and coffee. Even though coffee, bananas, pineapple, sugar, lumber, wood products and beef are still important exports, in recent times electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in Costa Rica’s economy. High levels of education among its residents make the country an attractive investing location.

Costa Rica’s infrastructure has suffered from a lack of maintenance and new investment. The country has an extensive road system of more than 30,000 kilometers, although much of it is in disrepair. Most parts of the country are accessible by road. The main highland cities in the country’s Central Valley are connected by paved all-weather roads with the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and by the Pan American Highway with Nicaragua and Panama, the neighboring countries to the North and the South. Costa Rica’s ports are struggling to keep pace with growing trade. They have insufficient capacity, and their equipment is in poor condition. The railroad didn’t function for several years, until recent government effort to reactivate it for city transportation.

Carlos told us so much, I felt like I was in school. It was all good though because I learned a lot. We might go on one of the tours up to the volcano and then to the hot springs. I think I’m going to really enjoy La Fortuna.