One of the country's major concerns is the level of the public debt, especially as a percentage of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), increasing from 29.8% in 2011 to 40.8% in 2015 and to 45% in 2016. They include a poor infrastructure and a need to improve public sector efficiency. Other challenges face Costa Rica in its attempts to increase the economy by foreign investment. By August 2017, Costa Rica was having difficulty paying its obligations and the President promised dramatic changes to handle the "liquidity crisis". The growing debt and budget deficit are the country's primary concerns. In 2015, exports totalled US$12.6 billion while imports totalled US$15 billion for a trade deficit of US$2.39 billion. Agriculture employs 12.9% of the labor force, industry 18.57%, services 69.02% (2016) Many foreign companies operate in the various Free-trade zones. Of the GDP, 5.5% is generated by agriculture, 18.6% by industry and 75.9% by services (2016). Corporate services for foreign companies employ some 3% of the workforce. The country has evolved from an economy that once depended solely on agriculture, to one that is more diverse, based on tourism, electronics and medical components exports, medical manufacturing and IT services. The estimated unemployment level in 2017 was 8.1%, roughly the same as in 2016. The poverty level dropped by 1.2% in 2017 to 20.5%, thanks to reducing inflation and benefits offered by the government. Inflation remained around 4% to 5% per annum for several years up to 2015 but then dropped to 0.7% in 2016 it was expected to rise to a still moderate 2.8% by the end of 2017 In 2017, Costa Rica had the highest standards of living in Central America in spite of the high poverty level. The estimated GDP for 2017 is US$61.5 billion, up significantly from the US$52.6 billion in 2015 while the estimated 2017 per capita (purchasing power parity) is US$12,382. Costa Rica's economy emerged from recession in 1997 and has shown strong aggregate growth since then. With continuing growth in the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and moderate inflation, though with a high unemployment rate: 11.49% in 2019. The economy of Costa Rica has been very stable for some years now, Real GPD per capita development in Costa Rica
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