Costa Rica is a country with which Türkiye has been actively working to strengthen relations, especially since the opening of bilateral embassies in 2014. Since then, there have been ministerial-level visits, and several agreements have been signed to enhance cultural and political collaboration. The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Costa Rica, representing an important milestone. Recently, businesspeople from various sectors in Türkiye organized a visit led by DEIK Latin America Director Serpil Ata. During this visit, aside from gatherings with the chambers of industry and commerce and several vice ministers, the Embassy of Türkiye in San Jose hosted a reception in honor of the relations between the two countries, bringing together prominent figures from Costa Rica and the visiting DEIK delegation.
Costa Rica has long stood out in Central America as an exceptional case of stability, democracy and sustainable development. The freedom score of Costa Rica in 2024 is 91/100 according to the Freedom House report, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that has been conducting freedom research all around the world since 1941.
In stark contrast to its neighbors, the country has achieved high economic and social standards, boasting a $17,000 GDP per capita at least two to three times higher than regional averages and a 7% unemployment rate, even negative inflation numbers according to the World Bank’s data. More than half of its land is under environmental protection, and it has successfully reversed deforestation, according to the National Biodiversity Institute and the Embassy of Costa Rica in Türkiye.
Beyond its natural beauty, Costa Rica has positioned itself as a regional leader in high-value industries. Through its free trade zones, the country offers attractive incentives for foreign investors in technology, medical devices and advanced manufacturing. Companies operating in these zones enjoy tax exemptions and reduced corporate tax rates, ranging from 8% to 15% and in some cases, even 0%. Global giants such as Intel, Microsoft, Boston Scientific and Amazon have established operations based on the country’s skilled labour force and investor-friendly policies. By prioritizing education and sustainability, Costa Rica has transformed itself into a competitive hub for innovation in Central America.
These achievements are not the result of chance but of a unique historical and structural trajectory. Understanding Costa Rica’s path offers valuable insights into how the two nations can collaborate via balance in economic growth, democratic governance and environmental conservation.
Unlike many Latin American nations that inherited entrenched social hierarchies from colonial rule, Costa Rica developed under markedly different circumstances. Thanks to its steep and rugged geography, Costa Rica was never a center of powerful Indigenous civilizations like the Aztecs, Olmecs or Mayas in the north, nor the legendary Incas in the south. Like a pearl inside a shell, Costa Rica remained isolated, preserving its unique natural beauty and societal structure.
As a result, when European explorers arrived in the early 16th century, Costa Rica’s lack of gold, silver or a dense Indigenous labor force made it an afterthought for Spanish colonizers. The absence of large-scale exploitative industries, such as mining or plantation economies, allowed for a more egalitarian society to emerge and remain relatively unnoticed throughout the centuries of colonization. The absence of a dominant oligarchy prevented the extreme wealth disparities that have historically plagued much of the region.
One of Costa Rica’s most defining moments came in 1948 when it became the first country in the world to abolish its military. This radical decision allowed the government to reallocate defense budgets toward education, health care and infrastructure. The result was a highly educated workforce and a robust social safety net, laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth. Having no army also made Costa Rica a neutral country by nature during the Cold War years, allowing it to stay out of geopolitical disputes between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Türkiye has positioned itself as a high-quality technological services provider in its periphery. The Turkish technology sector has been blossoming, especially over the last 20 years, driven by the accelerating effects of the banking, telecommunications, defense, automotive and white goods industries. Even before 2020, the Turkish government had granted numerous incentives through technoparks nationwide, including low taxes and financial incentive programs.
Costa Rica is positioning itself as a technology supplier that meets its regional technological needs, offering alternative and niche services due to the country’s strategy. As a result of their investments in higher education and technology centers over the past century, especially in the last 25 years, many foreign technology companies have invested in Costa Rica. Likewise, Costa Rican free trade zones also host numerous technology companies. As in every sector, having a developed ecosystem is one of the prerequisites for success in the technology sector which was enabled by the global giants already invested in the country and a robust startup ecosystem has also emerged thanks to Latin America’s highest-quality universities according to the data obtained from OECD and International Trade Administration of U.S. Turkish companies can find their place in these ecosystems and respond to the evolving technological needs with the experience they have gained in national, European and Middle Eastern markets.
Costa Rica’s journey from an overlooked colonial outpost to a beacon of democracy, sustainability and innovation offers invaluable lessons for nations worldwide. Its success in balancing economic growth, social equity and environmental conservation demonstrates that long-term planning and visionary policymaking can yield remarkable results. For Türkiye, Costa Rica’s model is not just an inspiration but also a potential partner in fostering mutual economic and technological growth.
Türkiye, with its rapidly expanding technology sector and strategic position as a bridge between Europe, Asia and the Middle East, can find synergies with Costa Rica’s strengths in sustainability, ecotourism and high-value industries. Costa Rica’s expertise in renewable energy, biodiversity conservation and ecotourism aligns well with Türkiye’s growing focus on green technologies and sustainable development. Collaborative ventures in renewable energy projects with a tech focus, such as solar and wind power, could benefit both nations, leveraging Türkiye’s technological advancements and Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainability.
Moreover, Costa Rica’s thriving ecosystem for innovation and foreign investment presents opportunities for Turkish technology companies to expand their footprint in Latin America. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye has published that it is Türkiye's official policy to expand its presence in Latin America and the U.S.; by establishing partnerships or operations in Costa Rica’s free trade zones, Turkish firms can access new markets while benefiting from the country’s skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies. Conversely, Costa Rican companies could explore Türkiye as a gateway to the Eurasian and Middle Eastern markets, leveraging Türkiye’s robust infrastructure and strategic location.
In an era of global challenges such as climate change, economic inequality and technological disruption, the collaboration between Türkiye and Costa Rica could be a model for how nations can work together to achieve sustainable growth. By combining their unique strengths, these two countries can pave the way for a future where economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and social equity go hand in hand.
