Central America and the Caribbean > Costa Rica > Economy

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Aid as % of GDP	0.1%		[126th of 129]
Big Mac Index	$2.38		[30th of 65]
DEFINITION: Price of a McDonald's Big Mac in US Dollars at current exchange rates. January 12th, 2006.
SOURCE: calculated on the basis of data on ODA from OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Development Assistance Committee. 2002. DAC Online. Database. Paris.; and data on GDP from World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators 2002. CD-ROM. Washington, DC
Economic freedom	2.35		[50th of 156]
DEFINITION: Index of 'economic freedom', according to the American organisation 'The Heritage Foundation'. It is worth noting that such indices are based on highly culturally contingent factors. This data makes a number of assumptions about 'freedom' and the role of the government that are not accepted by much of the world's population. A broad discussion of The Heritage Foundation's definition and methodology can be found at http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/ChapterPDFs/chapter5.HTML.
SOURCE: The Economist.
Exports to US	$847,700,000.00		[45th of 224]
DEFINITION: in US dollars. Jan 2003 - March 2003
SOURCE: The Heritage Foundation
GDP > PPP	$39,823,000,000.00		[75th of 163]
DEFINITION: Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in Millions of International Dollars, 2004.
SOURCE: US Census Bureau
GDP growth > annual %	5.95 annual %		[56th of 187]
DEFINITION: Annual percentage growth rate of GDP at market prices based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources.		View time series
SOURCE: World Bank. 2005. World Development Indicators 2005.
GDP per capita, PPP > current international $	10,180 PPP $		[53rd of 169]
DEFINITION: GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). PPP GDP is gross domestic product converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. An international dollar has the same purchasing power over GDP as the U.S. dollar has in the United States. GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current international dollars.		View time series
SOURCE: World Development Indicators database
GINI index	49.76		[10th of 40]
DEFINITION: Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.		View time series
SOURCE: World Development Indicators database
Gross National Income	$15,715,300,000.00		[66th of 172]
DEFINITION: GNI, Atlas method (current US$). GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and prop).
SOURCE: World Development Indicators database
Gross national income > constant LCU	1578878000000
DEFINITION: Gross national income is derived as the sum of GNP and the terms of trade adjustment. Data are in constant local currency.		View time series
Human Development Index	0.838		[47th of 178]
DEFINITION: The human development index values in this table were calculated using a consistent methodology and consistent data series. They are not strictly comparable with those in earlier Human Development Reports.
SOURCE: World Development Indicators database
Income category	Upper middle income
DEFINITION: World Bank income categories are used
SOURCE: Human Development Report 2006, United Nations Development Programme
Income distribution > Poorest 10%	1.7%		[89th of 114]
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
SOURCE:
Income distribution > Richest 10%	34.6%		[34th of 114]
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
SOURCE: World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators 2002. CD-ROM. Washington, DC
Population under $1 a day	12.6		[41st of 59]
DEFINITION: Population below line - proportion receiving less than $1 per day in income (purchasing power parity). Data from most recent available between the period 1983 to 2000.
SOURCE: World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators 2002. CD-ROM. Washington, DC
Poverty > Share of all poor people	0.04 % of world's poor		[58th of 80]
DEFINITION: The percentage of the world's total poor who live in each nation. 'Poor' here is defined as lving below the global poverty line of US$1 per day.
SOURCE: World Bank 2002b via backone.pdf
Research and development spending	0.1%		[68th of 69]
DEFINITION: Research and development (R&D) expenditures for most recent year available between 1990 and 2000.
SOURCE: Country Responsibilities in Achieving the Millenium Development Goals", April 8 2003, by Janice Poling
Stock exchange	Bolsa Nacional de Valores
DEFINITION: The nation's major stock exchange.
SOURCE: World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators 2002. CD-ROM. Washington, DC; aggregates calculated for the Human Development Report Office by the World Bank
Technological achievement	0.36		[32nd of 68]
DEFINITION: Technology Achievement Index Units: Score
SOURCE: Global Edge
Total reserves minus gold > current US$	2,312,646,000 $		[80th of 178]
DEFINITION: Total reserves minus gold comprise special drawing rights, reserves of IMF members held by the IMF, and holdings of foreign exchange under the control of monetary authorities. Gold holdings are excluded. Data are in current U.S. dollars.		View time series
SOURCE: United Nations Development Program. Human Development Report 2001. New York: Oxford University Press,2001, Table A2.1. via ciesin.org

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