Here is some research from the World Fact Book
COSTA RICA
Population 4 million
Purchasing power per capita $9,100
Population below poverty 20.6 percent
Ag products: coffee, pineapple, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, beef, timber
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapple, textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.
EL SALVADOR
Population 6.6 million
Purchasing power per capita $4,800
Population below poverty 48 percent
Ag products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, cotton, sorghum, shrimp, beef, dairy
Export commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. GDP per capita is roughly only half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living abroad and external aid. The government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy.
GUATEMALA
Population 14.3 million
Purchasing power per capita $4.100
Population below poverty 75 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom, cattle, sheep, pigs, chicken
Export commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruit and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity
Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.
HONDURAS
Population 7 million
Purchasing power per capita $2,600
Population below poverty 53 percent
Ag products: bananas, coffee, citrus, beef, timber, shrimp
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, MEAT, zinc, lumber
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed to meet the IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction of the high crime rate.
NICARAGUA
Population 8.8 million
Purchasing power per capita $2,300
Population below poverty 50 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, cotton, corn, beef, dairy products, coffee, bananas, rice, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans, veal, pork, poultry
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapple, textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help the country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early 2004. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic policy.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Population 8.8 million
Purchasing power per capita $6,000
Population below poverty 25 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, coffee, cotton, cocoa tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas, cattle, pigs, dairy, beef, eggs
Export commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meat, consumer goods
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan was slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants.
COSTA RICA
Population 4 million
Purchasing power per capita $9,100
Population below poverty 20.6 percent
Ag products: coffee, pineapple, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, beef, timber
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapple, textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.
EL SALVADOR
Population 6.6 million
Purchasing power per capita $4,800
Population below poverty 48 percent
Ag products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, cotton, sorghum, shrimp, beef, dairy
Export commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. GDP per capita is roughly only half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living abroad and external aid. The government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy.
GUATEMALA
Population 14.3 million
Purchasing power per capita $4.100
Population below poverty 75 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom, cattle, sheep, pigs, chicken
Export commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruit and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity
Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.
HONDURAS
Population 7 million
Purchasing power per capita $2,600
Population below poverty 53 percent
Ag products: bananas, coffee, citrus, beef, timber, shrimp
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, MEAT, zinc, lumber
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed to meet the IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction of the high crime rate.
NICARAGUA
Population 8.8 million
Purchasing power per capita $2,300
Population below poverty 50 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, cotton, corn, beef, dairy products, coffee, bananas, rice, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans, veal, pork, poultry
Export commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapple, textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help the country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early 2004. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic policy.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Population 8.8 million
Purchasing power per capita $6,000
Population below poverty 25 percent
Ag products: sugar cane, coffee, cotton, cocoa tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas, cattle, pigs, dairy, beef, eggs
Export commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meat, consumer goods
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan was slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants.