Costa Rica Information Center

Costa Rica, which means "Rich Coast", constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949. It is the only Latin American country included in the list of the world's 22 older democracies. Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in the Human Development Index, ranked 62nd in the world in 2010, and is cited by the UNDP as one of the countries that has attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels. The country is ranked 3rd in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.

In 2007 the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021. According to the New Economics Foundation, Costa Rica ranks first in the Happy Planet Index and is the "greenest" country in the world.

Tourism

With a $2.2 billion per year tourism industry, Costa Rica is the most visited nation in the Central American region, with two million foreign visitors in 2008, which translates into a relatively high expenditure per tourist of $1,077 per trip, one of the highest in the Caribbean Basin. In 2008 most visitors came from the United States (38.6%), neighboring Nicaragua (21.8%), Europe (11.3%) and Canada (5.2%). In 2005, tourism contributed 8.1% of the country's GNP and represented 13.3% of direct and indirect employment.

Health

The World Bank estimates that the life expectancy at birth for Costa Ricans at 2008 is 79 years, a figure unchanged since 2005. The Nicoya Peninsula is considered one of the Blue Zones in the world, where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years.

Costa Rica has been cited in various journals as Central America's great health success story. Its healthcare system is ranked higher than that of the United States, despite having a fraction of its GDP. Prior to 1940, government hospitals and charities provided most health care delivery. But since the 1941 creation of the Social Security Administration (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social - CCSS), Costa Rica has provided universal health care to its wage earning residents, with coverage extended to dependants over time. In 1973, the CCSS took over administration of all 29 of the country's public hospitals and all health care, also launching a Rural Health Program (Programa de Salud Rural) for primary care to rural areas, later extended to primary care services nationwide. In 1993, laws were passed to enable elected health boards that represented health consumers, social security representatives, employers, and social organizations. By the year 2000, social health insurance coverage was available to 82% of the Costa Rican population. Each health committee manages an area equivalent to one of the 83 administrative cantons of Costa Rica. There is Limited use of private, for-profit services (around 14.4% of the national total health expenditure). About 7 % of GDP is allocated to the health sector, and over 70% is government funded. There are some threats to the universal health care model.

Primary health Care facilities in Costa Rica include health clinics with a general practitioner, nurse, clerk, pharmacist and a primary health technician, around one per two population. In 2008 there were 5 specialty national hospitals, 3 general national hospitals, 7 regional hospitals, 13 peripheral hospitals, and 10 major clinics serving as referral centers for primary care clinics, which also deliver biopsychosocial services, family and community medical services and promotion and prevention programs. Patients can choose private health care to avoid waiting lists.

Costa Rica is among the Latin America countries that have became popular destinations for medical tourism. In 2006 Costa Rica received 150,000 foreigners that came for medical treatment. Costa Rica is particularly attractive to American tourists because of its proximity and short flight, the quality of medical services, and lower medical costs.

Education

The literacy rate in Costa Rica is 94.9%, one of the highest in the world. Elementary and high schools are found throughout the country in practically every community. Universal public education is guaranteed in the constitution. Primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and high school are free. There are only a few schools in Costa Rica that go beyond the 12th grade. Students who finish 11th grade receive a Costa Rican Bachillerato Diploma accredited by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education.

There are both state and private universities, with the public universities being regarded as the best in the country, as well as being one of the best means of social mobility, given the large proportion of the budget spent to subsidize students from poor families. The University of Costa Rica has been awarded the title "Meritorious Institution of Costa Rican Education and Culture". In recent years, many private universities and colleges have consolidated because demand for higher education exceeds places available in the public sector.

Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rica

Real Estate

Foreign investors have been buying real estate in Costa Rica for decades. The stable economy and half a century of uninterrupted democracy helps greatly strengthen the belief of investors. The investors of real estate in Costa Rica are backed by the increasing number of tourism, their neutrality, and the fact that the countries, with only 0.03% of Earth’s land mass, host 5% of the global biodiversity, positioning it among the top ecotourism destinations. With over 2 million international tourists entering in 2008, Costa Rica attracts many visitors as Nicaragua and Panama together. Visitor growth rates to Costa Rica have risen sharply over the past 5 years, exceeding virtually all other key Caribbean destinations, receiving comparable visitor numbers to some of the most popular destinations in Central America and the Caribbean (including Jamaica and the Bahamas).

According to Tourism Competitiveness Rankings, published by the World Economic Forum, Costa Rica is ranked No. 44 in the list comprising 130 countries, and first place in Latin America. The tourism search portal, Kayak (www.kayak.com), ranked Liberia, Costa Rica at position 7 in the list of destinations with the fastest growing trend, led by Cabo, Bali, and Sao Paulo. The effect is evident also on the Internet, where currently 80% to 90% of buyers begin searching for properties. There are more searches for the term "Costa Rica real estate" than for any other country in Central America. The searches for Costa Rica are second after Mexico in all Latin America, however, the trend in this northern country is downward, not just in real estate searches online, but also in the number of US Social Security Beneficiaries, another indicator of interest among the growing population of retirees, which confirms Costa Rica as the second country in Latin America as a destination of choice among this important consumer group.

Given the global economic crisis in 2009, tourism numbers are down overall, but compared to its regional competitors, Costa Rica remains firmly on the world stage as a major destination not only for tourists but also for retirees and investors speculating or to seeking additional income.

Different international indexes, like the Cost of Living by Mercer Consultants, the Global Peace Index of Vision of Humanity, and the ranking of International Living, ranks Costa Rica as one of the best places to retire or invest in real estate.

Starting in 2010, an estimate of 4 million workers will be retiring annually between the U.S. and Canada, a population that has exceeded 65 years of age, and that form the group known as Baby Boomers . Currently, 84 million Americans are between 40 and 60 years of age, forming the group of buyers of real estate for vacation, rent, or invest more important for the region.