Australia and Costa Rica enjoy a warm relationship based on trade and cooperation in international fora.

Key engagement

Costa Rica is Australia's second largest trading partner in Central America. We jointly pursue common interests in multilateral fora, particularly the United Nations (UN).

Outlook

Trade and investment opportunities exist in Costa Rica for Australian businesses, including in renewable energy and professional services.

Bilateral relations

In 1884, Costa Rica opened a consular office in NSW. Australia and Costa Rica established diplomatic relations in 1974. Costa Rica opened an Embassy in Canberra in 2017.

Australia's Ambassador to Mexico hold non-resident accreditation to Costa Rica and Australia has an Honorary Consul in San José.

Foreign relations

Australia and Costa Rica are members of the Cairns Group of agricultural exporting countries, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and United Nations (UN).

Costa Rica is a member of the Pacific Alliance, Central American Integration System (SICA), Organization of American States (OAS), Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, and other regional organisations.

Costa Rica acceded to the OECD in 2021.

Foreign Policy White Paper

Fast facts

Costa Rican visitors to Australia (2020 Dept of Home Affairs) #

100

Australian visitors to Costa Rica (primary destination) (2020 Dept of Home Affairs) # *

1,300

Resident Australian population born in Costa Rica (2016 Census)

428

Australian residents of Costa Rican descent (2016 Census)

390

Costa Rican students in Australia (2020 Dept of Education)

34

# This data is owned by Home Affairs. It provides quarterly updates to this data on its website.

* Costa Rica reports the number of Australian visitors as 2,886 in 2020 (www.ict.go.cr).

High level engagement

• 2021 March – former Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Costa Rican Foreign Affairs and Worship Minister Rodolfo Solano Quiros held a virtual meeting.
• 2021 March – then Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Dan Tehan and Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister Andres Valenciano Yamuni held a virtual meeting.
• 2020 May – Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada both participated in COVID-19 virtual meetings.

Agreements with Costa Rica

2011 – Tax Information Exchange Agreement

Public diplomacy

In 2020, the Australian Embassy in Mexico hosted a webinar on Australia’s biosecurity expertise to combat Fusarium wilt of bananas. The event attracted over 180 participants from 13 different countries, including Costa Rica.

Through the Direct Aid Program (DAP), the Australian Government supports projects coordinated by civil society, that empower women and girls, and advocate for the rights of indigenous communities, persons with disabilities and LGBTQI+ communities. DAP funds have also been used to help many of these disadvantaged groups recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19. The Australian Embassy in Mexico has hosted a number of webinars in collaboration with sponsored NGOs to highlight the outcomes of these projects. In 2020-21, funding is being provided to promote non-discrimination in schools.

Economic diplomacy

The Australian Government assists Australian investors in Costa Rica by providing support and advice on political, economic and regulatory environments.

Further economic and trade information can be found in our Economic Factsheet [PDF] for Costa Rica.

Business

Austrade aims to attract foreign direct investment into Australia. It also identifies market opportunities and promotes the capabilities of Australian exporters and education providers. 

Opportunities exist for Australian business in the education, agriculture, information technology and communications, and infrastructure development sectors.

Austrade

Austrade offices

Travel

See Smartraveller for information on travelling to Costa Rica: smartraveller.gov.au

Australian Embassy in Mexico

Ruben Dario 55
Col. Polanco
Mexico City 11580

Tel: 52-55-11012200

General: australianembassy.mexico@dfat.gov.au

Facebook: Australia en México, Centroamérica, Cuba y República Dominicana

Twitter: @AusEmbMex

Last updated: January 2022