Costa Rica has been a development success story in many ways. A member of the OECD since 2021, it enjoys a long tradition of democratic stability and commitment to institutionalism, and maintains a reputation for being at the forefront of green development, being the first tropical country in the world to reverse deforestation.
Amid a dynamic global environment, the country has made steady progress in its macroeconomic fundamentals, with average growth of 3.4 percent over the last decade, reaching 5.1 percent in 2023 and 4.3 percent in 2024, exceeding expectations. This is supported by an outward-oriented model that has successfully attracted foreign investment and promoted trade liberalization. Over the past three years, the domestic economy has also strengthened, supported by increased consumption and private investment, which helped mitigate the impacts of fluctuations in the global economy.Costa Rica and the World Bank have forged a strong partnership to boost inclusive growth, human capital, and resilience to climate risks and disasters. These projects support crucial areas such as the digitalization of key government services and processes; the development of resilient infrastructure; education; low-carbon initiatives through the ERPA fund; and greater participation of Indigenous Peoples in forest conservation through the EnABLE grant. Regarding climate action, Costa Rica received payments for the reduction of 3.28 million tons of CO₂ emissions in 2022 and 3.34 million tons in 2024 through the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. These payments support efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation and increase carbon stocks through sustainable forest management and conservation programs.
https://www.bancomundial.org/es/country/costarica/overview#1