Costa Rican Colón
Colón costarricense
Currency Code
CRC
ISO 188
Symbol
CRC
Native: ₡
Decimal Digits
2
Rounding: 0
Countries
CR
Using this currency
Currency Units
Major Unit
Name: colón
Symbol: ₡
Minor Unit
Name: céntimo
Symbol:
Value: 0.01
Banknotes
Frequently Used
₡1000₡2000₡5000₡10000₡20000₡50000
Coins
Frequently Used
₡5₡10₡25₡50₡100₡500
Plural Forms
English Plural
Costa Rican colóns
Native Plural
Colones costarricenses
Overview
The Costa Rican Colón is the currency of Costa Rica, managed by the Central Bank of Costa Rica. It has been relatively stable and Costa Rica is known for its strong democratic institutions and environmental policies.
Economy
- Costa Rica is a member of SICA, OAS, CELAC, Rio Group.
- Main industries include: Medical equipment, Food processing, Textiles and clothing, Construction materials, Fertilizer, Plastic products.
- Costa Rica is part of the World Trade Organization.
- Imports are raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials.
- Major exports include bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, medical equipment, microprocessors.
- GDP: $70.0 billion (2023 est.).
- GDP per capita: $13,570 (2023 est.).
- Unemployment rate: 12.6% (2023 est.).
- Inflation rate: 0.5% (2023 est.).
- Main trading partners: United States, Belgium, Netherlands, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala.
- Trade agreements: CAFTA-DR, Costa Rica-China FTA, Various bilateral agreements.
History
- Previous currencies used: Costa Rican peso, Central American peso.
- The colón was introduced in 1896, named after Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish). It replaced the peso at par and has been Costa Rica's currency since then.
- 1896: Colón introduced, replacing peso
- 1950: Central Bank of Costa Rica established
- 1982: Debt crisis and currency devaluation
- 2006: New banknote series with enhanced security
- 2012: Introduction of polymer banknotes
- Exchange rate peg: Crawling peg (1984-2015).
- Exchange rate peg: Managed float (2015-present).
General Information
- ISO 4217 Code: CRC
- Symbols: CRC/₡
- Currency Subunits: 100 céntimos
- Central Bank: Central Bank of Costa Rica
- Monetary Policy: Inflation targeting with managed floating exchange rate. Focus on price stability and supporting sustainable economic growth.
- Bills: 1000 CRC, 2000 CRC, 5000 CRC, 10000 CRC, 20000 CRC, 50000 CRC
- Coins: 5 colones, 10 colones, 25 colones, 50 colones, 100 colones, 500 colones
- USD Exchange Rate: Variable (approximately 520-530 CRC per USD)
- Pegged To: None (Floating)
- Capital: San José
- Population: 5,163,038 (2023 est.)
- Area: 51,100 km²
- Languages: Spanish (official), English
- Time Zones: UTC-6 (Central Standard Time)
- Government Type: Presidential republic
- Head of Government: President (head of state and government)
- Independence: September 15, 1821 (from Spain)
- Ethnic Groups: White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black of African descent 1.1%, Other 1.1%, None 2.9%, Unspecified 2.2%
- Religions: Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.4%, Other Protestant 1.2%, Other 3.1%, None 27%
- Literacy Rate: 97.9% (2018 est.)
- Transport: Juan Santamaría International Airport, good road network, limited rail system, Pacific and Caribbean ports
- Communications: Advanced telecommunications, 81% internet penetration, comprehensive mobile coverage
- Energy: Hydroelectric 67%, Wind 17%, Geothermal 13%, Solar 1%, Biomass 1%, Thermal 1%
- Countries Using This Currency: Costa Rica
- Data Sources: Central Bank: Central Bank of Costa Rica (bccr.fi.cr), Economic Data: National Institute of Statistics and Census Costa Rica, World Bank, IMF, Trade Data: Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica, Demographic Data: National Institute of Statistics and Census Costa Rica, Geographic Data: National Meteorological Institute, Historical Data: Central Bank of Costa Rica archives
- Last Updated: 2025