Economy of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is considered to be a rural country, with most of its population living in small towns spread throughout. Though most people live under the poverty line, in the past 15 years, poverty has decreased substantially due to the increase in foreign investors. The Costa Rican government just recently concluded negotiations to become a part od the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement. For years agricultural products such as bananas and coffee has been the dominant source for production and exports. Recently tourism and major industries such as the production of elctronics, textiles, fertilizer and plastic products have surpassed the agricultural trade.