<P> That is a primary reason why the major credit rating agencies--Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch--have downgraded Costa Rica's risk ratings . For example, Moody's Investors Service in early 2017 reduced the rating to Ba2 from Ba1, with a negative outlook due to the "rising government debt burden and persistently high fiscal deficit, which was 5.2% of GDP in 2016" and the "lack of political consensus to implement measures to reduce the fiscal deficit (which) will result in further pressure on the government's debt ratios". The country is currently debating major fiscal reform legislation to cut the budget deficits and stop the growth in debt, one of the highest in Latin America . </P> <P> Many foreign companies (manufacturing and services) operate in Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives . Well over half of that type of investment has come from the U.S. According to the government, the zones supported over 82 thousand direct jobs and 43 thousand indirect jobs in 2015 . Companies with facilities in the America Free Zone in Heredia, for example, include Intel, Dell, HP, Bayer, Bosch, DHL, IBM and Okay Industries . </P> <P> Of the GDP, 5.5% is generated by agriculture, 18.6% by industry and 75.9% by services. (2016) Agriculture employs 12.9% of the labor force, industry 18.57%, services 69.02% (2016) For the region, its unemployment level is moderately high (8.2% in 2016, according to the IMF). Although 20.5% of the population lives below the poverty line (2017), Costa Rica has one of the highest standards of living in Central America . </P> <P> High quality health care is provided by the government at low cost to the users . Housing is also very affordable . Costa Rica is recognized in Latin America for the quality of its educational system . Because of its educational system, Costa Rica has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America, 97% . General Basic Education is mandatory and provided without cost to the user . A US government report confirms that the country has "historically placed a high priority on education and the creation of a skilled work force" but notes that the high school drop - out rate is increasing . As well, Costa Rica would benefit from more courses in languages such as English, Portuguese, Mandarin and French and also in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). </P>

Size of costa rica compared to a state