An article written in the Washington Times earlier this year describes Costa Rica as ‘as close to a natural paradise as can be found on our little planet’2, and certainly in many respects this can be seen to be true.
A country roughly the size of West Virginia and occupying only 0.03% of the planet’s surface, it is famous for its unique biodiversity and natural resources. Serving as a narrow land bridge between North and South America, with ocean on both sides, it boasts an enormous range of ecological conditions, from steamy, humid coasts, to hot, dry lowlands up to cool, mountainous cloudforest. Its varied tropical topography, diverse soils and climate variations make it an extremely diverse place. In fact, this tiny country is home to almost 5% of global biodiversity, containing a greater concentration of plant and animal species per kilometer than any other country in the world.
As the oldest and most stable democracy in Latin America, flourishing without a military since 1948, and committed to a progressive social investment policy unparalleled anywhere in the Americas (with the exception of Cuba) it has also traditionally been seen as a showcase for human development in the region.
A report for Oneworld.net, the international network promoting human rights and poverty awareness, notes that Costa Rica has ‘advanced rapidly towards the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals,’ – an eight point plan drawn up by the United Nations member states in 2000 which commits the international community to work together to dramatically reduce poverty and inequality, combat hunger, disease and infant mortality and work towards achieving sustainable development.
Costa Rica is unique in Latin America on account of its historically high indices of social and economic development - a result of progressive social welfare policies implemented over the last century, together with the dissolution of the armed forces – and currently enjoys some of the best rankings in the region, achieving a per capita income of more than $4000, far above the regional average; rated 47th on the Human Development Index, behind only Chile and Argentina; and taking 3rd place among 103 developing countries on the Human Poverty Index, which focuses on the proportion of people living below a basic poverty level.
The country has found a way to generate a reasonably high standard of living with relatively equitable distribution, extraordinary levels of state education and health care and a peaceful civil society on a very modest economic resource base. An average life expectancy of 78.8 years, literacy at 96%, an infant mortality rate of 10.2 per thousand and an unemployment rate of only 6% are excellent indices by any standard and approach those of many high income ‘developed’ nations. In addition 96.7% of homes have electricity, 90% have access to a clean, potable water supply, 89% are connected to a sewage system or septic tank and 55% have landline telephones.
Costa Rica has also managed to implement one of the most advanced environmental protection systems of any country in the world through the development of a strong ecotourism industry and of progressive and innovative legislation linking conservation and reforestation to economic growth and incentives. The country now protects 27% of its land in National Parks, wildlife refuges and over 100 private reserves, and has become the first tropical country to radically reverse the process of deforestation, with forest cover increasing from just 21% in 1990 to 52% in 2005.
As the oldest and most stable democracy in Latin America, flourishing without a military since 1948, and committed to a progressive social investment policy unparalleled anywhere in the Americas (with the exception of Cuba) it has also traditionally been seen as a showcase for human development in the region.
A report for Oneworld.net, the international network promoting human rights and poverty awareness, notes that Costa Rica has ‘advanced rapidly towards the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals,’ – an eight point plan drawn up by the United Nations member states in 2000 which commits the international community to work together to dramatically reduce poverty and inequality, combat hunger, disease and infant mortality and work towards achieving sustainable development.
Costa Rica is unique in Latin America on account of its historically high indices of social and economic development - a result of progressive social welfare policies implemented over the last century, together with the dissolution of the armed forces – and currently enjoys some of the best rankings in the region, achieving a per capita income of more than $4000, far above the regional average; rated 47th on the Human Development Index, behind only Chile and Argentina; and taking 3rd place among 103 developing countries on the Human Poverty Index, which focuses on the proportion of people living below a basic poverty level.
The country has found a way to generate a reasonably high standard of living with relatively equitable distribution, extraordinary levels of state education and health care and a peaceful civil society on a very modest economic resource base. An average life expectancy of 78.8 years, literacy at 96%, an infant mortality rate of 10.2 per thousand and an unemployment rate of only 6% are excellent indices by any standard and approach those of many high income ‘developed’ nations. In addition 96.7% of homes have electricity, 90% have access to a clean, potable water supply, 89% are connected to a sewage system or septic tank and 55% have landline telephones.
Costa Rica has also managed to implement one of the most advanced environmental protection systems of any country in the world through the development of a strong ecotourism industry and of progressive and innovative legislation linking conservation and reforestation to economic growth and incentives. The country now protects 27% of its land in National Parks, wildlife refuges and over 100 private reserves, and has become the first tropical country to radically reverse the process of deforestation, with forest cover increasing from just 21% in 1990 to 52% in 2005.
