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Why
Invest in Costa Rica
|
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| History
& Culture |
|
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| Geography
and Climate |
|
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| Our
People |
|
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| Infrastructure |
|
History
& Culture
Costa Rican culture is in many ways
a reflection of its racial diversity.
The predominant influence has long
been European, which is reflected
in everything from the official
language -- Spanish -- to the architecture
of the country's churches and other
historic buildings. The indigenous
influence is less visible, but can
be found in everything from the
tortillas that make part of a typical
Costa Rican meal, to the handmade
ceramics sold at roadside stands.
An important aspect of Costa Rica's
cultural legacy is their love for
peace and democracy. The Ticos like
to stand out that their nation is
the exception in Latin America,
where military dictatorships have
long dominated politics.
They take pride in having more than
one hundred years of democratic
tradition, and almost half a century
without an army. The army was abolished
in 1948, and the money the country
saves by not expending in military
issues is invested in improving
the Costa Ricans' standard of living,
which has fostered a culture of
social peace that makes it such
a pleasant place to visit.
The Ticos, as Costa Ricans are commonly
known, are famous for their hospitality,
and are quite happy to live up to
their reputation. They are well-educated
and hard working people, who are
quick with a handshake and a smile.
They are well aware of the special
land they have, and most likely
they will help foreigners when they
get lost, even explaining things
that might seem bizarre to foreigners,
and making their stay as enjoyable
as possible.
People say the Ticos are their nation's
greatest asset, and once you've
experienced their friendliness and
spontaneity, you'll have no doubt
to that regard.
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Geography
& Climate
Rugged highlands are found throughout
most of the country, ranging from
approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters
(3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level).
The Guanacaste Mountain Range, Central
Mountain Range, and Talamanca Mountain
Range are the main mountain ranges
extending the entire length of the
country.
There are several active volcanoes
(Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano,
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and Turrialba
Volcano) and the country’s
highest mountain (Chirripo Hill)
with a height of 3,819 m/12,530
ft. The country has a relatively
long coastline in both the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans, as well as a
number of rivers and streams that
attract specialist kayakers and
rafters from all over the world.
In general, the climate in Costa
Rica is very pleasant not only during
the dry season, which
extends from December to April but
also during the rainy season, which
runs from May to November. During
the rainy season rain can be expected
in the afternoons, on the other
hand the mornings are usually sunny.
Costa Rica has a tropical climate
with an average temperature
of 22 degrees C (72 degrees
F) that increases considerably on
the coastal areas. The changes in
temperature are considerable and
due to the short distances in this
relatively small country, they can
all be experienced in just one day.
Due to factors such as the geographical
location, the weather conditions,
the formation of mountain chains,
mountains, and valleys, this country
experiences different microclimates
that give a home to different types
of vegetation.
The following climates in the country
can be categorized in the following
regions :
| The
high and cold region: |
| With an
elevation of 3,000 to 3,100
meters in altitude with temperatures
of 0 degrees C |
| The
hot region: |
| The elevation
is above 1,500 meters in altitude,
with temperatures between
14 degrees C and 18 degrees
C |
| The
humid tropical region: |
| The elevation
is up to 1,100 meters in altitude
with temperatures between
25 and 26 degrees C |
| The
tropical region: |
| Pertaining
to the dry season, with temperatures
between 26 and 27 degrees
C |
The inter-mountainous valley region
with an elevation between 1,000
and 1,100 meters in altitude which
is a characteristic of the central
valley, with temperatures that range
from 14 to 18 degrees C
Due to the weather characteristics
and the topography of the country,
different types of forests can be
appreciated: the cloud forest, the
rain forest, the dry forest, and
the transition forest.
Going to the beach is a must when
traveling to Costa Rica and a nice
suntan is always possible. It is
not advisable however, to try to
tan in just one day because it takes
24 to 48 hours for the skin to produce
melanin, a dark pigment that reduces
the aging process caused by sunburn.
The healthiest thing for you to
do is to use a PABA-free suntan
or UV sun blocking lotion.
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Our
People
Costa Rica’s richness also
lies on the cultural diversity of
our people. Throughout our history,
the indigenous population of pre-Hispanic
origins have been added movements
of immigrants which settled in these
lands, making it their home. Populations
of European origin, mainly Spaniards,
persons of African and Asian ascendance,
as well as people from different
places of the American continent
have interacted among them, enriching
the cultural backgrounds in the
process.
Currently, besides the predominant
half-breed component, there are
ethnical-national groups and colonies
of immigrants recovering their particular
cultural heritage: African descendants,
Chinese, Hebrew, Lebanese, Italian,
etc.; as well as the indigenous
populations of the Bribri, Cabecar,
Maleku, Teribe, Boruca, Ngöbe,
Huetar, and Chorotega.
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Infraestructure
Costa Rica has one of the most advanced
telecommunications systems in Latin
America, with telephones and fax
machines all over the country, and
an increasing number of businesses
online. To call or fax Costa Rica,
dial the country code 506 before
the number. There is also mail service
and a wide selection of courier
services in San Jose.
Most large hotels in the San Jose
area have cable TV, with US and
European stations. Newspapers and
magazines from North America and
several European nations are sold
in many shops and hotels in and
around the capital.
Telecommunication services in Costa
Rica have significantly developed
during the last few years, a fact
that has allowed multinational and
local companies to enjoy a varied
and advanced menu of telecommunication
services, including dedicated services
and broadband Internet.
Telecommunications services in Costa
Rica are provided on a nationwide
basis by two companies: ICETEL (a
Telecommunications division of the
Costa Rican Institute of Electricity)
and Radiográfica Costarricense,
S.A. (RACSA).
Costa Rica is internationally
known for its high degree of electrification
(97.04%, 2005) and generation from
renewable sources (which currently
stands at 97.5%), which helps protect
the environment and reduces in turn
the country's dependence on oil
for energy production.
The Costa Rican Electricity Institute,
ICE, is the main responsible public
entity in charge of generation and
transmission activities, while distribution
is allocated among the ICE and eight
other public and private companies
located in different regions. The
ICE accounts for 38% of total energy
distribution in Alajuela and other
remote regions, while CNFL concentrates
its operations in San Jose and has
the biggest share of the national
distribution grid (43.5%). The Cartago
and Heredia regions are served mainly
by JASEC and ESPH, which cover 6%
and 5% of the total distribution
network, respectively, while the
remaining 4% corresponds to distributor
co-ops that operate in rural zones.
Manufacturing
and service companies located in
Costa Rica can count on several
means for getting their water supply.
Acueductos y Alcantarillados (a
state company), local authorities,
municipalities and other entities
are responsible for supplying water
according to the location. ESPH,
a private utility company, handles
water and energy distribution for
the province of Heredia, while Cartago
and Alajuela have their own municipal
water services. Besides, private
companies and individuals on a personal
basis can request underground water
extraction permits from SENARA (a
supervisory governmental agency)
in order to drill private wells.
It’s easy to get around Costa
Rica, and if you stick with public
transportation, traveling within
the country can be quite inexpensive.
There are bus services to just about
every town and city, and high-quality
buses serving the main tourist destinations.
Taxis are also plentiful and inexpensive,
and in San Jose they are required
to operate with meters for most
trips.
The standard charge for a taxi ride
between the international airport
and downtown San Jose is $10 US.
The quickest way to get around is
to fly and several domestic airlines
offer daily flights to most of the
popular tourist destinations. There
are also plenty of car rental agencies,
most of which rent four-wheel-drive
vehicles.
The main airport is the
Juan Santamaria International Airport,
located in Alajuela. This airport
is only twenty minutes away from
San José.
O ther important airports
are :
There are also landing fields for
local flights situated in different
parts of the country such as: Limon,
Tortuguero, La Fortuna, Tamarindo,
Samara, Tambor, Quepos, Palmar North,
Golfito, and San Vito.
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|
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| Health
and Education |
|
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| Government |
|
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| Business
and Economy |
|
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| General
Information |
|
Health
& Education
Y ES! Health care in Costa Rica
is excellent and there are several
ultra-modern hospitals with English
speaking Doctors (some are North
Americans) in the greater San José
area. For emergency assistance in
Costa Rica, dial 911.
Despite its size and being an under
developed country, Costa Rica has
positioned itself among the countries
with the highest public healthcare
development in Latin America.
The Costa Rican Social Security
Service (CCSS) is a public
service institution that has accomplished
important goals regarding health
issues, including pensions and social
security. This institution offers
coverage and integrated health services
through two types of insurance:
• General coverage insurance,
with a service that covers 100%
of the country.
• Contribution coverage insurance,
with an 86.80% of the population.
Costa Rica is the country in Latin
America with the highest life expectancy
rate at 77.75 years old; it is also
one of the countries with the lowest
infant mortality rate: 10.82%. It
is also far advanced in issues regarding
prenatal prevention and control.
Costa Rica is praised because of
its efforts for investment in public
education that different governments
have accomplished throughout the
years. There are close to 6,147
elementary, middle, and high schools
and more than 50 universities in
the country.
The first higher education institution
to be established was the University
of Costa Rica, which was the only
higher educational center up until
the year 1971, when the Technological
Institute of Costa Rica was founded.
In 1973, the National University
of Heredia (UNA) was founded, also
the Distance Education University
(UNED) was established in 1977,
and in the year 1979, the first
private institution known as the
Autonomous University of Central
America (UACA) was created which
set the example in 1986 for a large
number of other private universities
to open their doors in Costa Rica.
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Goverment
The political system is represented
by three powers, which are: The
Executive Power, the Legislative
Power and the Judicial Power. The
Elections Supreme Court is considered
the fourth power of the Republic.
Every four years national elections
are carried out. Among other positions
of popular representation, the President
of the Republic is elected through
direct representation by secret
ballot.
Though government offices and most
banks close on national holidays,
this causes little inconvenience
to travelers, since money and traveler's
checks can be changed at most hotels.
We recommend that you do not change
money on the street.
There are days when hardly anything
will be open, such as Christmas,
New Year, and often a couple of
days proceeding, and during Holy
Week from Wednesday to Easter Sunday.
Some holidays can be attractive
for travelers, such as the last
week of the year, when there are
parades and many other activities
in San Jose and throughout the country.
On July 25 every year (the annexation
of the province of Guanacaste),
the main towns in this northwest
province are overflowing with revelry
and folklore. Carnival, which is
celebrated in the Caribbean port
of Limon during the week of October
12, is another colorful affair.
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Bussines
& Economy
There is an ample selection of state
owned and privately held banks in
San Jose, and throughout the country.
The official currency of Costa Rica
is the colon; however US dollars
are widely accepted. US dollars
and traveler's checks can be changed
in banks and hotels. Most major
credit cards are widely accepted,
and cash advances can be obtained
at banks around the country and
a variety of places throughout San
Jose.
Government offices are generally
open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, while
banks close anytime between 3:00
and 6:00 pm, according to the bank
and its branch. Most shops are open
from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, while some
open at 8:00 am and others close
at 7:00 pm; most grocery stores
close at 8:00 pm. Some shops also
close for lunch, between noon and
1:00 or 2:00 pm.
You don't have to drive very far
in Costa Rica -- past the coffee,
pastures, bananas, and other crops
-- to realize that agriculture is
the basis of its economy. Coffee
has historically been the country's
most important crop, and Costa Rica
continues to produce some of the
finest coffee in the world. However
in recent years less traditional
crops have been playing an increasingly
important economic role. Bananas
are the second most important export
crop, with vast plantations covering
parts of the Caribbean lowlands.
There is also significant land dedicated
to the cultivation of pineapples,
sugar, oranges, rice, hardwoods,
and ornamental plants, as well as
raising cattle for beef and dairy
products.
Though agriculture remains the basis
of the national economy, tourism
has earned more than any single
export crop during the last few
years and the tourism industry continues
to grow providing new employment
opportunities and stimulating the
conservation of our complex biodiversity.
| Actividad
Económica
|
| Población
ocupada p/sectores |
| Agricultura
y pesca: 21,6% |
Servicios:
53,5% |
| Industria:
18,1% |
Tasa de
Desempleo: 5,7% |
| Construcción:
6,8% |
Crecimiento
Económico anual: 4,5% |
| Estructura
de Comercio Exterior |
| Exportaciones
FOB (millones de dólares) |
| Textiles:
788,39 |
| Frutos
comestibles: 701,85 |
| Café:
408,10 |
| Pescado,
crustáceos y moluscos:
165,03 |
| Plantas
ornamentales: 101,08 |
| Legumbres
y tubérculos comestibles
61,55 |
| Aceite
de Soya y Palma 37,78 |
| Preparados
de carne y pescado 71,88 |
| Preparados
de legumbres y hortalizas
80,66 |
| Medicamentos
77,68 |
| Restantes
955,53 |
| TOTAL:
2.953,8 |
| Estructura
de Comercio Exterior |
| Importaciones
CIF (millones de dólares) |
| Materia
prima para industria y minería
848,3 |
| Materia
prima para agricultura 75,6 |
| Bienes
de consumo no duradero 237,3 |
| Bienes
de consumo duradero 368,6 |
| Bienes
capital industria y electricidad
354,8 |
| Bienes
capital transporte 97,7 |
| Bienes
capital agricultura 26,9 |
| Materiales
de construcción 88,8 |
| Combustible
y lubricantes 140,1 |
| Otros 0,3 |
| TOTAL:
2238,4 |
| Principales
Socios Comerciales |
|
América del Norte 48
% |
Unión
Europea 23 % |
| Centroamérica
12 % |
Caribe
5 % |
| Asia 5
% |
América
del Sur 3 % |
| Otros 4
% |
|
| Principales
Proveedores |
|
América del Norte 53,5% |
Unión
Europea 8,5% |
| Centroamérica
9,4% |
Caribe
5 % |
| Asia 13
% |
América
del Sur 10 % |
| Otros 5,6% |
|
Régimen de
Comercio
Costa Rica mantiene políticas
de apertura comercial acordes con
la tendencia mundial. Es miembro
de la Organización Mundial
del Comercio (OMC), y aplica en
su plano interno políticas
de desregulación, eliminación
de barreras de ingreso a los mercados
y de competencia. Es el único
país del área (junto
con Panamá), que aplican
políticas antimonopólicas.
Existen pocas restricciones a la
importación, las prohibiciones
que se dan son por razones de sanidad,
protección ambiental y seguridad.
Además, algunas mercancías
requieren autorización especial.
Aranceles e impuestos
La estructura de aranceles e impuestos
está clasificada según
el Sistema Arancelario Centroamericano
(SAC), el cual está dividido
en cuatro partes y grava todas las
mercaderías importadas.
Derechos Arancelarios
(DAI)
Se aplica a todas las mercaderías
importadas y van del 1% hasta el
18%. De conformidad con el tipo
de bien (materias primas, bienes
intermedios o producto final), se
aplica un techo y piso arancelario
definido a escala centroamericana.
Impuesto Selectivo
de Consumo(SC)
Lo pagan 1500 productos y va desde
un 10% hasta un 75%.
Impuesto de ventas
Actualmente es de un 13%.
Relaciones Unión
Europea-Costa Rica
Las relaciones institucionales entre
la UE y Costa Rica se inscriben
en el Acuerdo Marco de Cooperación
Económica.Anualmente se celebran
sesiones de la Comisión Mixta
UE-Centroamericana .
Costa Rica se beneficia del Sistema
de Preferencias Generalizaciones
y de las nuevas líneas de
cooperación económica
a través de los programas
ECIP y AL-INVEST.
Relaciones de Costa
Rica con otros países
Existen tratados bilaterales de
libre comercio con Panamá
y México. Se están
negociando convenios comerciales
bilaterales con Colombia, Venezuela,
República Dominicana, Chile
y Mercosur.
Iniciativa para la
cuenca del Caribe(CBI)
La iniciativa para la Cuenca del
Caribe II es una concesión
otorgada por el gobierno de los
Estados Unidos a la mayoría
de los productos de los países
de la región del Caribe,
entre ellos Costa Rica. Los únicos
productos que no entran en este
convenio son: textiles, productos
de piel, relojes, azúcar
y petróleo.
Acceso a Mercados
La Historia del desarrollo del Comercio
Internacional en Costa Rica, ha
evolucionado en los últimos
años pasando de una economía
con cierto grado de protección
hasta llegar a constituirse en una
economía que participa activamente
en los mercados internacionales.
A mediados del siglo pasado, con
la creación del Mercado Común
Centroamericano en 1962, Costa Rica,
que había adoptado un modelo
basado en la sustitución
de importaciones, busca un mercado
natural, dada su cercanía,
para establecer vínculos
comerciales y que sirvieran de incentivo
a las empresas que quisieran establecerse
en nuestro país y aprovechar
este mayor mercado. En 1968, con
la creación del Centro para
la Promoción de las Exportaciones
e Inversiones, se trata de institucionalizar
el desarrollo de las exportaciones
así como la atracción
de IED. El Mercado Común
Centroamericano no funcionó
debido a los conflictos políticos
e ideológicos que se presentaron
en los países Centroamericanos,
por lo que la participación
en los mercados internacionales
fue muy tímida.
Para 1985, como parte de los beneficios
otorgados por los Estados Unidos
a los países Latinoamericanos
que venían de una crisis
de deuda, se crea la Iniciativa
para la Cuenca del Caribe, lo que
le permitía a Costa Rica
poder exportar una gran cantidad
de productos a los Estados Unidos
libre de aranceles. Para 1990 Costa
Rica se adhiere al Acuerdo General
sobre Aranceles y Comercio en busca
de participar de las políticas
de eliminación de aranceles
y participación en acuerdos
comerciales.
En 1994, con el primer Tratado de
Libre Comercio con México
se inicia una participación
mas agresiva en los mercados internacionales,
la cual ha aumentado enormemente
en los últimos años
con una importante participación
del gobierno con instituciones como
COMEX (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior)
y Procomer que promueven las exportaciones
y aprovechar las ventajas que tiene
Costa Rica en la producción
de muchos bienes y servicios.
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General
Information
There is an ample selection of state
owned and privately held banks in
San Jose, and throughout the country.
The official currency of Costa Rica
is the colon; however US dollars
are widely accepted. US dollars
and traveler's checks can be changed
in banks and hotels. Most major
credit cards are widely accepted,
and cash advances can be obtained
at banks around the country and
a variety of places throughout San
Jose.
| Capital
City: |
| »
San José |
| Área: |
| »
51,100 km2 (19,730
millas2) |
| Official
Language |
| »
The official language
is Spanish. The second language
for a large portion of the
population is English. |
| Official
Religion |
| »
The official religion
is Catholic. Freedom of religious
choice is respected. |
| Official
Currency |
| »
Colon |
| National
Symbols |
| »
The Purple Orchid,
National Flag, Guanacaste
Tree, National Emblem of Costa
Rica, Yigüirro (Clay-Colored
Robin National Bird) and Typical
Cart. |
| Electrical
Services |
| »
Costa Rican Electricity
Institute (ICE). Ninety seven
percent of the national territory
has electrical service. The
voltage in residential areas
is 110v. |
| Office
Hours |
| »
Government sector:
From 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
from Monday to Friday. National
Banks: From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Some banks offer their services
after regular hours until
7:00 p.m. and others that
are located in some shopping
centers are open on Saturdays. |
| Private
Sector |
| »
From 9:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Commerce in general, opens
Saturdays and Sundays up to
mid-day. |
| National
Holidays |
•
January 1st:
New Years Day
•
April 11th:
Juan Santamaria Day, National
Hero.
• Holy
Thursday and Good Friday:
Religious activities.
• May 1st:
International Labor Day.
• August 15th:
Mothers Day.
• September
15th: Independence
Day.
• December
25th: Christmas Day. |
| Other
Holydays |
•
July 25th:
Annexation of Guanacaste Day.
• August 2nd:
Virgin of the Angels Day.
• October 12th:
Christopher Columbus Day. |
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|
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| About
Costa Rica |
|
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| Biodiversity |
|
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| Human
Resources |
|
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| Stability |
|
About
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is quickly becoming a
favorite destination for travelers.
It has much to offer the traveler
with its rich Latin American culture
and the beautiful welcoming smiles
of its nearly 4 million people.
If you are looking for a warm friendly
culture, Costa Rica is the
place for you.
Ticos, as Costa Ricans are known,
are a friendly, hard working people
that take pride in their country
and the fact that they have not
had an army for more than 50 years.
Unlike most of its neighbors, Costa
Rica has not undergone a civil war,
nor has there been any major military
attack in modern history.
As a traveler you can see the Ticos’
appreciation for their country in
the way they have preserved it.
Over 28% of Costa Rica has been
set aside as a national park or
private reserve. Part of the preservation
is due to the fact that Costa Ricans
are very well-educated with a literacy
rate over 96%.
With tourism being one of Costa
Rica’s main sources of revenue,
the industry has grown to meet the
needs of the many travelers. A network
of private tourist class shuttle/bus
transportation has popped up in
recent years, as well as some amazing
resorts that cater specifically
to Costa Rica{s thriving eco-tourism.
In addition, most towns have potable
water and electricity, and cell
phones are becoming increasingly
popular.
Given all this, Costa Rica boasts
some of the most beautiful tropical
beaches and exotic rainforests in
Central America and the world. It
is a land of active volcanoes and
windswept mountaintops. Although
it is a small country, many tropical
habitats are found within the country,
and they are protected by the best
developed conservation program in
Latin America.
With both Pacific and Caribbean
coasts, there’s no shortage
of beaches in Costa Rica. Some have
been developed for tourism while
others are isolated and rarely visited.
For a relaxing seaside vacation,
you can stay in a luxurious hotel
or you can camp on a remote beach.
Wherever you stay, you’re
likely to find a preserved area
within driving distance and monkeys
in the trees.
Active volcanoes are surely one
of the most dramatic natural sights,
and few visitors to Costa Rica can
resist the opportunity to peer into
the crater of a smoking giant. Whether
you want to take a guided bus tour
to a volcanic summit or hike up
through the rainforest and camp
out amid a landscape of boiling
mud pools and steaming vents, the
information you need is within this
tourism portal.
Apart from hiking and camping in
rainforests, mountains, and on beaches,
you can surf some of the best waves
in Central America and raft some
of the most thrilling whitewater
in the tropics. Pristine rivers
tumble down the lower slopes of
the mountains, and the riverbanks
are clothed with curtains of rainforest
– a truly unique rafting experience.
The rivers and lakes offer a beautiful
setting for fishing, and ocean sport
fishing is definitely world class.
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Biodiversity
What type
of wildlife can I see in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has long been a destination
of choice for birding enthusiasts,
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