Costa Rica Has The Highest Percentage of Immigrants in Latin America, Study Reveals
Costa Rica is the country in Latin America with the highest percentage of immigrants, which now represents 7.5% of the country's population, though in numbers it is relative low - 300.000 - compared to other Latin American countries.

Venezuela and Argentina, countries with almost five and ten times the population of Costa Rica respectively, only count with a 4.2% immigrant mix, representing some 1 million immigrants in Venezuela and 1.5 million in Argentina.

The principal problems faced by immigrants in Costa Rica, as in other countries, is racism, discrimination and xenophobia, a phobic attitude toward strangers, followed by abuse, violence and deceit.

The results are part of a study presented by the Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (Cepal) in a series of sessions in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The study also reveals that 2.2% of Costa Ricans or 88.000 live in abroad, mainly in the United States and Canada, where they seek work opportunities to better their economic condition. However, that is pale to Mexico who has some 9.2 million nationals abroad or Colombia with 1.4 million, followed by Cuba at 973.000 and El Salvador at 911.000.

The investigation titled “Migración internacional, derechos humanos y desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe” shows that some 25 million "latinos" have left their home in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

Cepal says that the study reveals a necessity to put in place measures, from a Latin American perspective, that would facilitate the movement of people and to protect human rights of all migrants.

The United States still is the number one destination for 'latinos" who leave their birthplace. Ironically, Costa Rica is among the list of destination countries, sometimes only as a stepping stone. The principal reason is it reputation for peace and economic stability, which in most cases is not known in their home country, like Colombia.