Editing Costa Rica (section)

{{short description|Country in Central America}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp-move}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Costa Rica
| common_name            = Costa Rica
| native_name            = {{native name|es|República de Costa Rica}}
| image_flag             = Flag of Costa Rica.svg
| image_coat             = Coat of arms of Costa Rica.svg
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = {{native phrase|es|"[[National anthem of Costa Rica|Himno Nacional de Costa Rica]]"|italics=off}}<br />"National Anthem of Costa Rica"<div style="padding-top:0.5em">{{center|[[File:Costa Rica National Anthem.ogg]]}}</div>
| image_map              = CRI orthographic.svg
| image_map2             = 
| capital                = [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]]
| coordinates            = {{Coord|9|56|N|84|5|W|type:city}}
| largest_city           = capital
| official_languages     = [[Costa Rican Spanish|Spanish]]
| languages2             = 
| languages2_type        = Other spoken languages
| ethnic_groups          = {{vunblist
| 83.6% [[White Latin Americans|White]] or [[Mestizo]]
| 6.7% [[Mulatto]] (mixed [[Afro-Costa Rican|Black]] and [[White Latin Americans|White]])
| 2.4% [[Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica|Indigenous]]
| 1.1% [[Afro-Costa Rican|Black]]
| 6.2% others<ref name="livepopulation.com" />
}}
| ethnic_groups_year     = 2021<ref name=CIA />
| religion_year          = 2021
| religion_ref           = <ref name=ciep>{{cite news|last1=Murillo|first1=Alvaro|title=Encuesta CIEP-UCR evidencia a una Costa Rica estatista y menos religiosa|url=https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/encuesta-ciep-ucr-evidencia-a-una-costa-rica-estatista-y-menos-religiosa/|access-date=8 July 2021|agency=Semanario Universidad|date=7 July 2021|archive-date=7 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707133949/https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/encuesta-ciep-ucr-evidencia-a-una-costa-rica-estatista-y-menos-religiosa/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| religion               = {{unbulleted list|
{{Tree list}}
* 72.6% [[Christianity]]
** 47.5% [[Catholic Church in Costa Rica|Catholicism]] ([[State religion|official]])<ref name="irf2017">{{cite web |title=International Religious Freedom Report for 2017 |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm?year=2017&dlid=281062 |website=www.state.gov |access-date=29 December 2018 |date=2018 |archive-date=23 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323030648/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm?year=2017&dlid=281062 |url-status=live }}</ref>
** 22.5% [[Protestantism]]
** 2.6% other [[List of Christian denominations|Christian]]
{{Tree list/end}}
|27.0% [[Irreligion in Latin America|no religion]]
|0.4% others
}}
| demonym                = {{hlist|[[Costa Ricans|Costa Rican]]|Tico(a)}}
| government_type        = Unitary [[presidential republic]]
| leader_title1          = [[President of Costa Rica|President]]
| leader_name1           = [[Rodrigo Chaves Robles|Rodrigo Chaves]]
| leader_title2          = [[Vice President of Costa Rica|1st Vice-President]]
| leader_name2           = [[Stephan Brunner]]
| leader_title3          = [[Vice President of Costa Rica|2nd Vice-President]]
| leader_name3           = [[Mary Munive]]
| legislature            = [[Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica|Legislative Assembly]]
| sovereignty_type       = Independence from
| established_event1     = from [[Spain]]
| established_date1      = 15 September 1821
| established_event2     = from [[First Mexican Empire]]
| established_date2      = 1 July 1823
| established_event3     = {{nowrap|from the [[Federal Republic of Central America|Federal<br />Republic of<br />Central America]]}}
| established_date3      = 14 November 1838
| established_event4     = [[Constitution of Costa Rica|Current constitution]]
| established_date4      = 7 November 1949<ref name=CIA>{{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=Costa Rica|access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>
| established_event5     = Recognized by Spain
| established_date5      = 10 May 1850
| area_km2               = 51179.92
| area_rank              = 126th <!-- Area rank should match [[List of countries and dependencies by area]] -->
| percent_water          = 1.05 (as of 2015)<ref>{{cite web|title=Surface water and surface water change|access-date=2020-10-11|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] (OECD)|url=https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SURFACE_WATER|archive-date=24 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324133453/https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SURFACE_WATER|url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_census_year = 2022
| population_census      = 5,044,197<ref name="inec_cr">{{cite web|url=https://inec.cr/estimaciones-poblacion-vivienda-2022|title=National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos de Costa Rica, or INEC|access-date=28 August 2023|date=2022|archive-date=28 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828175018/https://inec.cr/estimaciones-poblacion-vivienda-2022|url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_estimate_year = 
| population_estimates   = 
| population_estimate_rank = 124th
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 220 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| population_density_rank = 107th
| GDP_PPP                = {{increase}} $169.034 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.CR">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2025/april/weo-report?c=238,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2023&ey=2030&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, April 2025 Edition. (Costa Rica) |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=26 April 2025 }}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_year           = 2025
| GDP_PPP_rank           = 90th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita     = {{increase}} $31,462<ref name="IMFWEO.CR" />
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 66th
| GDP_nominal            = {{increase}} $102.591 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.CR" />	
| GDP_nominal_year       = 2025
| GDP_nominal_rank       = 85th
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}} $19,095<ref name="IMFWEO.CR" />
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 64th
| Gini                   = 47.2 <!--number only-->
| Gini_year              = 2022
| Gini_change            = decrease <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini_ref               = <ref name="wb-gini">{{cite web |url = https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI/ |title = Gini Index |publisher = World Bank |access-date = 25 November 2023 |archive-date = 8 June 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140608054636/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI |url-status = live }}</ref>
| Gini_rank              = 
| HDI                    = 0.833
| HDI_rank               = 62nd
| HDI_year               = 2023<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year. -->
| HDI_change             = increase
| HDI_ref                = <ref name="UNHDR">{{Cite web |date=6 May 2025 |title=Human Development Report 2025 |url=https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506051232/https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf |archive-date=6 May 2025 |access-date=6 May 2025 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]}}</ref>
| currency               = [[Costa Rican colón]]
| currency_code          = CRC
| time_zone              = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset             = −6
| drives_on              = right
| calling_code           = [[Telephone numbers in Costa Rica|+506]]
| cctld                  = [[.cr]]<br />.co.cr
| recognized_regional_languages = {{hlist|[[Limonese Creole|Mekatelyu]]|[[Bribri language|Bribri]]|[[Jamaican Patois|Patois]]}}
| country_code           = 
| today                  = |
}}
'''Costa Rica''',{{efn|{{IPAc-en|uk|ˌ|k|ɒ|s|t|ə|_|ˈ|r|iː|k|ə}}, {{IPAc-en|us|audio=En-us-Costa Rica.ogg|ˌ|k|oʊ|s|t|ə|-}}; {{IPA|es|ˈkosta ˈrika|lang}}; literally "Rich Coast"}} officially the '''Republic of Costa Rica''',{{efn|{{langx|es|República de Costa Rica}}, {{IPA|es|reˈpuβlika ðe ˈkosta ˈrika|}}}} is a country in [[Central America]]. It borders [[Nicaragua]] to the north, the [[Caribbean Sea]] to the northeast, [[Panama]] to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as [[Maritime boundary|maritime border]] with [[Ecuador]] to the south of [[Cocos Island]]. It has a population of around five million{{UN Population|ref}} in a land area of nearly {{cvt|51,180|sqkm}}.<ref name="ignlandarea">{{Cite web |author=Instituto Geográfico Nacional del Registro Nacional |date=2021-07-02 |title=Actualización en el Cálculo de las Áreas Continental e Insular de Costa Rica |trans-title=Update on the Calculation of the Continental and Insular Areas of Costa Rica |url=https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/ACTUALIZACION_DE_LAS_AREAS_CONTINENTAL_E_INSULAR_DE_COSTA_RICA_02_07_2021.pdf |website=Sistema Nacional de Información Territorial |language=es |access-date=23 April 2024 |archive-date=30 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730131629/https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/ACTUALIZACION_DE_LAS_AREAS_CONTINENTAL_E_INSULAR_DE_COSTA_RICA_02_07_2021.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> An estimated {{formatnum:352381}} people live in the capital and largest city, [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], with around two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.<ref name="worldscapitalcities.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.worldscapitalcities.com/capital-facts-for-san-jose-costa-rica/|title=Capital Facts for San José, Costa Rica|date=18 October 2017|access-date=6 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413020706/https://www.worldscapitalcities.com/capital-facts-for-san-jose-costa-rica/|archive-date=13 April 2020|url-status=dead}}{{Full citation needed|date=October 2018}}</ref>

The [[sovereign state]] is a [[Presidential system|presidential republic]]. It has a long-standing and stable [[Constitution of Costa Rica|constitutional]] democracy and a highly educated workforce.<ref name="seattletimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-invests-in-costa-rica-as-it-carves-itself-a-profitable-niche-in-the-world-economy/|title=Amazon invests in Costa Rica as tiny nation carves out profitable niche in world economy|date=11 March 2017|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-date=7 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907070223/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-invests-in-costa-rica-as-it-carves-itself-a-profitable-niche-in-the-world-economy/|url-status=live}}</ref> The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget (2016) on education, compared to a global average of 4.4%.<ref name="seattletimes.com" /> Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, and [[ecotourism]]. Many foreign manufacturing and services companies operate in Costa Rica's [[Free-trade zone|Free Trade Zones]] (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives.<ref name="cinde.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.cinde.org/en/why/incentives|title=The Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica|website=www.cinde.org|access-date=7 August 2017|archive-date=7 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807232641/http://www.cinde.org/en/why/incentives|url-status=live}}</ref>

Costa Rica was inhabited by [[Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica|indigenous peoples]] before coming under [[Spanish Empire|Spanish rule]] in the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the [[First Mexican Empire]], followed by membership in the [[Federal Republic of Central America]], from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Following the brief [[Costa Rican Civil War]] in 1948, it permanently [[Public Force of Costa Rica|abolished its army]] in 1949, becoming one of only a few sovereign [[List of countries without armed forces|nations without a standing army]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elespiritudel48.org/docu/h013.htm|website=El Espíritu del 48|title=Abolición del Ejército|access-date=9 March 2008|language=es|archive-date=9 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909091956/http://www.elespiritudel48.org/docu/h013.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 June 2009 |url=http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldreference/CR/defense.html |title=Costa Rica |publisher=World Desk Reference |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211185659/http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldreference/CR/defense.html |archive-date=11 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 June 2009|url=http://www.ucdp.uu.se/gpdatabase/gpcountry.php?id=39&regionSelect=4-Central_Americas|title=Costa Rica|publisher=Uppsala University|archive-date=10 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510015146/http://www.ucdp.uu.se/gpdatabase/gpcountry.php?id=39&regionSelect=4-Central_Americas|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The country has consistently performed favorably in the [[Human Development Index]] (HDI), placing 58th in the world {{As of|2022|lc=y}}, and fifth in Latin America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/2019-human-development-index-ranking|title=Human Development Report 2019|language=en|publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]|date=10 December 2019|access-date=10 December 2019|format=PDF|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523103905/http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/2019-human-development-index-ranking|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has also been cited by the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP) as having attained much higher [[Human development (economics)|human development]] than other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than the median of the region.<ref name=HDI10>{{cite book|chapter=Table 1: Human development index 2010 and its components|url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108160356/http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete.pdf|archive-date=8 November 2010|access-date=6 November 2010|title=UNDP Human Development Report 2010|date=January 2010 |pages= 5, 49, 144}}</ref> It performs well in comparisons of [[Democracy Index|democratic governance]], press freedom, subjective happiness and [[Happy Planet Index|sustainable wellbeing]]. It has the 26th freest press according to the 2024 [[Press Freedom Index]], it is the 35th most democratic country according to the 2021 [[Freedom in the World]] index, and it is the 23rd happiest country in the 2023 [[World Happiness Report]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 March 2023 |title=World Happiness, Trust and Social Connections in Times of Crisis |url=https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2023/world-happiness-trust-and-social-connections-in-times-of-crisis/ |access-date=24 March 2023 |website=worldhappiness.report |language=en |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324035221/https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2023/world-happiness-trust-and-social-connections-in-times-of-crisis/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Costa Rica World Happiness Index |url=https://countryeconomy.com/demography/world-happiness-index/costa-rica |access-date=24 March 2023 |website=countryeconomy.com |language=en |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324135605/https://countryeconomy.com/demography/world-happiness-index/costa-rica |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also a major tourist destination in the continent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brierley |first=Tor |date=2023-09-29 |title=Why This Popular Central American Country Is Breaking All Tourism Records Right Now |url=https://www.traveloffpath.com/why-this-popular-central-american-country-is-breaking-all-tourism-records-right-now/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=Travel Off Path |language=en-US |archive-date=17 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117122221/https://www.traveloffpath.com/why-this-popular-central-american-country-is-breaking-all-tourism-records-right-now/ |url-status=live }}</ref>