Is there controlled growth and well-managed development?
Development is planned to a certain extent, although in much of the country private land can be used as the owner wishes. Subdivisions must meet government standards, including roads, power, water and parkland and they must be maintained by the developer for several years after being sold out. Free zones and industrial areas are well defined, and government policy has encouraged businesses to take job-providing factories to the villages to allow people to travel short distances to work and to slow the spread of large cities. All construction must meet strict standards. Most industry in Costa Rica is of a non-polluting type. Examples would be electronics, pharmaceuticals and clothing manufacturing. Agriculture is still the largest export sector, led by traditional bananas and coffee, but with non-traditional items such as ferns, flowers and tropical plants gaining rapidly. Huge refrigerated facilities are in place to encourage new agricultural exports.
