Prosperous Costa Rica

The absence of an army and a perception of largely equally opportunities for men and women, are factors which underpin a sense of prosperity in Costa Rica.

These and other positive attributes result in Costa Rica coming first in the region and 37th in the world, in a ranking of over a hundred nations, in the 2012 Prosperity Index of the Dubai-based Legatum Institute.

Globally, the top three positions are occupied by Norway, Denmark and Sweden, while Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic come last.

In Honduras and Guatemala, corruption is the main complaint (numbers correspond to the position of each country in the global ranking).

1. Costa Rica (37)
2. Panama (42)
3. El Salvador (90)
4. Nicaragua (91)
5. Honduras (96)
6. Guatemala (97)