Costa Rica Industry
Costa Rica is the most industrialized country in Central America. High-tech manufacturing of medical equipment and electronic components accounts for a large proportion of industrial production.
- According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, CR stands for the country of Costa Rica in geography.
The manufacturing industry is largely located in free zones for export, where companies that produce for the export market can import raw materials and equipment duty-free. The zones are scattered throughout the country, several of them adjacent to ports or at the largest airport outside Alajuela. The favorable conditions have attracted foreign investors. In the free trade zones there are now over 400 companies which account for about half of the exports.
Previously, the electronics industry dominated, with microprocessors being the single largest product. Gradually, however, mainly medical equipment and also food processing became more important. Paper industry also exists. The formerly important textile industry has lost competitiveness not least to China.
The industry, including construction and mining, employs a fifth of the workforce and contributes a quarter of GDP.
- COUNTRYAAH: List of top trading partners of Costa Rica. Includes countries that imported most shipments from and exported most goods to the country.
2017
October
13 candidates for the 2018 presidential election
October 4th
The commencement committee will run for the presidential and parliamentary elections on February 4, 2018. The leading candidates in the presidential election are Antonio Álvarez Desanti of the National Liberation Party (PLN), Juan Diego Castro of the National Integration Party (PIN) and Rodolfo Piza of the Christian Social Unity Party (Pusc). Other candidates are Carlos Alvarado from the now ruling Citizens’ Action (PAC) and Edgardo Araya from the left-wing Breda Front (FA). None of the candidates can count on any strong parliamentary support, since neither party can expect to win their own majority in the legislative assembly. One of the new government’s biggest problems is getting the country’s finances organized. The budget deficit landed at over 5 percent in 2016, and central government debt has risen rapidly in recent years.
February
Ministers resign before presidential election
Minister of Economy and Commerce Welmer Ramos leaves his post just before the deadline for ministers who want to be able to stand in the February 2018 presidential election..
January
The border dispute with Nicaragua continues
January 16
The conflict with Nicaragua is intensified again when the government decides to draw the neighboring country before the International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) to decide what the neighboring country will pay in compensation for material damage (see December 2015).
2016
December
Many record murders
December 30
Concern is mounting for rising crime, linked to the drug trade. A new report confirms that the homicide rate reaches a peak level in 2016, when more than 570 homicides occurred.
Increased migrant flows through the country
December 19
The government reports that the number of migrants passing through Costa Rica is “unparalleled” – it affects over 26,000 people during the year. The majority come from Cuba, Haiti and countries in Africa.
August
Security assistance from the United States
22 August
President Solís meets his counterpart Barack Obama in Washington and receives an “unparalleled” pledge of assistance, including aircraft, fast boats, biometric equipment and communications equipment. The parties sign a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the fight against organized crime, migration and civil security.
Infinite confidence in the president
August 16th
Just over halfway into the term, only 10 percent of voters think President Luis Guillermo Solís is doing a good job. It is the lowest figure for any head of state in the country ever measured.
Concern over migrant inflows
10th August
The government sees with concern when Panama decides to admit about 800 migrants stuck at the border with Colombia, for humanitarian reasons. The migrants, mainly from Haiti and African countries, want to continue north. But at the Costa Rican border in the north, there are already about 2,500 migrants, as Nicaragua continues to impede passage through the country (see November and December 2015).
June
Re-entry into co-operative bodies
June 30th
Costa Rica resumes in Sica after half a year outside regional cooperation (see December 2015). All other members except Nicaragua welcome Costa Rica’s re-entry.
April
Secret airfields discovered
April 13
According to authorities, 33 previously unknown airfields were counted in November, along the Pacific coast where drug smuggling has increased recently. Several are located in areas that are completely empty of people. Over the past week, police seized over a ton of cocaine in several incidents. On three occasions, small aircraft have been involved in accidents.
Regional Security Summit
April 6
Costa Rica, together with the US military, is hosting a security meeting in San José, attended by representatives of 13 countries on the American continents. Threats to security have come in the limelight in Costa Rica where the number of murders has risen sharply in a short time.
February
PLN victor in municipal elections
February 7
The PLN wins big and takes home the mayor’s post in well over half of the 81 municipalities, although the party backs compared to the 2010 election. regional party Alliance of San José.
