SCENE ON A LARGE FARM OR "FINCA" IN GUANACASTE PROVINCE 
Costa Rica, like other countries, has profited by the development of avia¬ 
tion. In 1930, the President of the Republic issued a decree establishing a 
government division of aviation. This office, which is under the supervision 
of the Department of Public Safety, has formulated air traffic rules and 
regulations and has charge of all matters relating to military and civil avia¬ 
tion in the country. Costa Rica receives and dispatches from San Jose, Limdn, 
Puntarenas and other air bases many of the planes engaged in inter-American 
flying services from eastern and western cities of the United States, from 
Mexico, Panama and other nearby countries. Costa Rica, therefore, may be 
reached by air travel more quickly than ever before, while mail and light 
freight services are also being liberally patronized. The Empresa Nacional 
de Transposes Aereos and the Aerovias Nacionales operate daily between 
the most important Costa Rican cities. At present there are around twenty 
landing fields in the country, public and private. 
FINANCE 
The last few years have witnessed improvements in Costa Rica's internal 
financial situation, illustrated by increased receipts from customs duties, the 
liquor monopoly, railway revenues, export taxes, and others. Total revenues 
26 
have shown increases since 1933. At the same time expenditures also have 
increased. From 1934 to 1935, revenues rose from 24,283,000 to 27,167,000 
colones, accompanied by expenditures, however, which increased from 
24,102,000 to 31,577,000 colones. T hus in 1934 a slight surplus was 
available, but a greater increase in expenditures than in receipts in 1935 caused 
a considerable deficit in the latter year. In 1936 budgetary receipts and 
expenditures were more in line, totaling 34,503,000 and 32,443,000 colones 
respectively. However, other expenditures reduced the surplus to a deficit 
of slightly moie than half a million colones. kor 193/, budgetary expen¬ 
ditures were fixed at 32,598,000 and receipts were estimated at 32,835,000 
colones. 
1 he following table illustrates the trend in both the external and internal 
public debts since 1930, given in thousands of units of currency. 
V ear 
EXTERNAL 
INTERNAL 
TOTAL 
Colones 
Dollars 
Colones 
Dollars 
Colones 
Dollars 
1930 1 
68,341 
17,085 
25,753 
6,438 
94,094 
23,623 
1931 
74,406 
18,601 
27,417 
6,854 
101,823 
25,455 
1932 
77,480 
19,370 
30,957 
7,739 
108,437 
27,109 
1933 
83,693 
20,923 
30,819 
7,704 
114,512 
28,627 
1934 
83,678 
20,919 
31,822 
7,956 
115,500 
28,875 
1935 
83,678 
20,919 
36,250 
9,062 
119,928 
29,981 
1936 2 
104.169 
26,042 
37,701 
9,425 
141,870 
35,467 
It will be noted that the trend has been steadily upward in both. The 
colon has been converted into the U. S. dollar at an arbitrary rate of four 
colones to the dollar, which while not giving a completely accurate picture, 
nevertheless presents an approximate idea of the debt in U. S. currency. The 
average uncontrolled rate of the colon in U. S. currency in 1935 and 1936 
was $.1612 and $.1618, respectively, the controlled rate $.163 and $.162. 
United States direct investments in Costa Rica in 1933 were estimated at 
$20,000,000/ At the end of 1936, the value of funds of the Costa Rican 
national debt held in the United States was calculated at $11,000,000. 4 
1 Debt figures from 1930 to 1935 inclusive, from Foreign Bondholders Protective Council, Annual 
Report, 1936. 
2 La Gaceta, San Jose, May 4, 1937. 
3 The Balance of International Payments of the United States in 1933. 
4 Finance Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of Commerce. 
27 
