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Costa Rica

13. Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment Statistics

Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/Economy

Host Country Statistical Source* USG or International Statistical Source USG or International Source of Data:
BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, Other
Economic Data Year Amount Year Amount
Host Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD) 2018 $60,126 2017 $57,286 www.worldbank.org/en/country   
Foreign Direct Investment Host Country Statistical Source* USG or International Statistical Source USG or International Source of Data:
BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, Other
U.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions) 2017 $19,924 2017 $19,924 IMF CDIS data available at http:/data.imf.org/CDIS 
Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions) 2017 $117 2017 $117 IMF CDIS data available at http:/data.imf.org/CDIS  
Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP 2017 63.2% 2017 62.5% UNCTAD data available at https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DIAE/World%20Investment%20Report/Country-Fact-Sheets.aspx  

* For 2017 GDP in dollars with National Accounts exchange rate, the Costa Rican Central Bank (BCCR) is “Host Country Statistical Source”.  http://indicadoreseconomicos.bccr.fi.cr/indicadoreseconomicos/Cuadros/frmVerCatCuadro.aspx?idioma=1&CodCuadro= percent202999  

* For 2017 US FDI stock in Costa Rica, and Costa Rican FDI stock in the US, the Costa Rican Central Bank (BCCR) is “Host Country Statistical Source

* For “Total Inbound Stock of FDI as  percent host GDP”, local statistical source is BCCR.  GDP for 2017 was USD 58,174.6 million; total Inbound FDI stock in 2017 was USD 36,742.7.


Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDI

Costa Rica’s open and globally integrated economy receives FDI principally from the United States followed by Europe and Latin America.   Costa Rica’s outward FDI is more regionally focused on its neighbors Nicaragua, Guatemala and Panama, with the U.S. and Colombia following.

Direct Investment From/in Counterpart Economy Data – 2017
From Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions)
Inward Direct Investment Outward Direct Investment
Total Inward 36,743 100% Total Outward 3,023 100%
USA 19,924 54% Nicaragua 955 32%
Spain 2,490 7% Guatemala 907 30%
Mexico 1,872 5% Panama 650 22%
Netherlands 1,443 4% USA 117 4%
Switzerland 1,395 4% Colombia 70 2%
“0” reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000.

Stock Positions.  IMF’s Coordinated Direct Investment Survey (CDIS) site: (http:/data.imf.org/CDIS)


Table 4: Sources of Portfolio Investment

Portfolio Investment Assets
Top Five Partners (Millions, US Dollars)
Total Equity Securities Total Debt Securities
All Countries 1,816 100% All Countries 1,017 100% All Countries 799 100%
USA 924 50.9%% USA 492 48.4% USA 432 54.1%
Ireland 356 19.6% Ireland 354 34.8% UK 85 10.6%
Luxembourg 151 8.3%% Luxembourg 143 14.1% Sweden 74 9.3%
UK 89 4.9%% China PR 3 .3%% Mexico 25 3.1%
Sweden 74 4.1% Canada 3 .3% Australia 20 2.5%
Investment Climate Statements
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The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future