Country Fact Sheet
Government at a GlanceLatin America and the Caribbean 2017
As a share of GDP, Costa Rica collects the least revenue in the region
In 2014, the Costa Rican government collected the least revenues in the LAC region, amounting to 13.6% of GDP, compared to an average of 28.6% of GDP. As of 2014 revenues increased by 0.5 percentage points, attaining 14.1% of GDP in 2015. However, further efforts are required to raise revenues, especially as ex-penditures increased by a similar proportion for the same period, and the economy was faced with budget deficits above 5.5% of GDP in 2014 and 2015.
Chapter 2: Public finance and economics
2.1. General government fiscal balance as a percentage of GDP, 2007, 2009, 2014 and 20152.6. General government revenues as a percentage of GDP, 2007, 2009, 2014 and 20152.14. General government expenditures as a percentage of GDP, 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2015
Costa Rica improved compensation management of the civil service
In 2006, the Costa Rican public sector workforce experienced high salary discrepancies between profession-als working under the civil service regime (the executive’s central administration) and their peers carrying out similar jobs in several autonomous agencies, who were paid much better. In consequence, it was difficult for the central administration to attract and retain staff. As a result, Costa Rica implemented an ambitious reform to enhance compensation for professionals working under the civil service regime. Costa Rica made the greatest improvement among LAC countries on the compensation management index, increasing from 35/100 in 2004 to 60/100 in 2013 (the second-highest score) compared to an average increase of 6 points (from 29 to 35) in the region. However, the fiscal consequences of the reform have been more acute than expected, since following complaints by teachers’ organisations; the benefits were also extended to them, which was not originally planned.
Chapter 6: Human Resources Management
6.7. Compensation management (2004, 2012-15)
Costa Rica has linked its open government strategy to the national development plan
A government is open when it is transparent, accountable, engaging and operates with integrity. To strength-en and focus open government efforts 54% of LAC countries, including Costa Rica, have adopted an overar-ching national strategy on open government. However, despite the existence of such strategies in many LAC countries, open government efforts remain scattered. Costa Rica is one of the few LAC countries that have linked its open government strategy to the national development plan as means of ensuring wider application and consistency of open government initiatives.
Chapter 8: Digital and Open Government
8.13. Existence of national open government strategy
Costa Rica
Government revenues(2014, 2015)
Government expenditures(2014, 2015)
Government gross debt(2014, 2015)
% of GDP % of GDP % of GDP
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook database Source: IMF Government Finance Statistics database
G@G /dataG@G /data -6.0%
Costa Rica
-4.5%-8%
0%
-2%
-6%
-4%
-5.8%
(2015) (2014) (2014)
Fiscal balance (2014, 2015)% of GDP
Government investment(2014)
% of GDP
How to read the figures:
Costa Rica
Country value in green (not represented if not available) Average of OECD country
values in blueRange of LAC country
values in grey
Public Finance & Economics Public Employment & Compensation
Public Finance and Economics
GOVERNMENT INPUTS: FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook database
Values have been rounded. n.a. refers to
data not availableAverage of LAC country values in purple
Breakdown of tax revenues(2014)
% of total taxation
Costa Rica
40.3%
18.2%
34.0%
Goods and services
Income and pro�ts
Social security49.5%
27.9%
16.4%
Other
Source: OECD Revenue Statistics in Latin America (database)
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook database
33.1%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Costa Rica
20.0%(2015)
19.6%(2014)
(2014)
2.6%2.4%
Costa Rica
1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook database
42.4% 100%
0%
100%
0%
Costa Rica
50.4%
60% 90% 120% 150%30%0%
39.3%(2015) (2014)
(2014)
50.3%
50%
40%
60%
48.9%Costa Rica
Public Employment and Compensation
G@G /data
Public sector employment filled by women
(2014) *
Source: International Labour Organization (database). * See Notes
Public sector employmentas % of total employment
(2014) *
Source: International Labour Organization (database). * See Notes
12.0% 5%
0%
25%
10%
15%
20%15.2%Costa Rica
10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
28.6%
Costa Rica
14.1%(2015)
13.6%(2014) (2014)
GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
Government Institutions Public Procurement Digital Government
Digital Government
iREG: Composite indicatoron stakeholder engagement (2015)
Source: OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance for Latin America
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
1.24
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
1.61
Costa Rica
Methodology
Systematicadoption
Transparency
Oversight,qualitycontrol
0
20
40
60
80
100
73
0
20
40
60
80
100
45
Costa Rica
Civil service merit index(2012-2015)
Source: Inter-American Development Bank, 2014
7.7%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
5.9%
Costa Rica
Source: IMF Government Finance Statistics database. * See Notes
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0.46
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0.44
Costa Rica
Dataavailability
Dataaccessibility
Governmentsupportto re-use
Main nationalcitizens portal for
government services
Legally recogniseddigital identi�cation
(e.g. digital signature)mechanism
61%
Yes
56%
No
Costa Rica
Existence of a main national citizens portal forgovernment services and a legally recognised
digital identification mechanism (2015)
Source: OECD Survey on digital government performance
Health Financing Systems and Budget
The max. score for each category is 1, andthe max. aggregate score for the composite is 4
Composite index from 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest)
High Moderate Low
33%47%20%
ModerateCosta Rica
Level of influence of theCentre of Government
over line ministries(2015)
Government Institutions
Source: OECD 2015 Survey on Centre of Government
Development of strategic public procurement by objective(2015)
Public ProcurementGovernment procurement
(2014) *% of GDP
Source: 2015 OECD Survey on Public Procurement
OURdata Index:Open, Useful, Reusable Government Data (2016)
Composite index from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)
Source: 2016 OECD Survey on Open Government Data
Greenpublic procurement
A strategy / policy has been developed by some procuring entities
A strategy / policy has been developed at a central level
MSMEs Procure innovativegoods and services
6 12 0
A strategy / policy has been rescinded
A strategy / policy has never been developed
6 4 19 0 1 2 12 0 8
Support to Women ownedenterprises
1 3 0 16
n.a.Costa Rica
GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
Notes
OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES
Costa Rica
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6Higher
inequality
Lowerinequality
Before After
0.51 0.49
taxes and transfers
Before After
0.52 0.50
taxes and transfers
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Before After
0.47
0.29taxes and transfers
Higherinequality
Lowerinequality 0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Gini coefficient: Differences in income inequality pre and post-tax and government transfers (2012)
* Public sector employment as % of total employment and public sector employment filled by women data for Costa Rica are for 2013. Costs of goods and services financed by general government are not included in government procurement because they are not accounted separately in the IMF Government Finance Statistics (database). For Costa Rica, the part of government procurement related to gross fixed capital formation does not include the consumption of fixed capital.
Indicator from 0 (low income concentration) to 100 (high income concentration)
Health Financing Systems And Budget FormulationHealth care financing schemes and percentage of population covered (2015)
Source: 2015 OECD Survey of Budget Officials on Budgeting Practices for Health in LAC countries
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
63%39%
6%2%2%4%
95%
Socialhealth insurance
Voluntaryprivate insurance
Government�nancing scheme
Costa Rica
Compulsoryprivate insurance
Not coveredby any explicitarrangement
Other0%
0%0%5%
0%
Source: OECD Income Distribution Database
Government at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2017 is the second edition of a joint publication between the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It provides readers with a dashboard of key indicators to
inform policy making and benchmark specific interventions. The model is the OECD Government at a Glance, which is a fundamental reference,
backed by a well-established methodology for OECD member countries. Compared to the previous edition that had a special focus on Public
Financial Management and alongside with indicators on public finances and public employment this second version covers a wider range of public
management areas including the role and influence of the Centre of Government, Open Government and Open Data policies, Digital Government,
Regulatory Governance and practices for Budgeting in health systems.
Government at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2017
For more information on the data (including full methodology and figure notes) and to consult all other Country Fact Sheets:http://www.oecd.org/gov/government-at-a-glance-lac.htm
The Excel spreadsheets used to create the tables and figures in Government at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2017 are available via the Stat-Links provided throughout the publication: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264265554-en
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