According to the Economist, Costa Rica ranks first in Latin America. The study called the Democracy Index and devised by the Economist Intelligence Unit tracks 60 indicators across five broad categories: free elections, civil liberties, functioning government, political participation and political culture.

The Economist editor stated that “Free elections and civil liberties are necessary conditions for democracy, but they are unlikely to be sufficient for a robust democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and at least minimally efficient government, adequate participation in politics and a supportive culture. It is not easy to build a sturdy democracy. Even in long-established ones, if not nurtured and protected democracy can corrode surprisingly quickly.”

At number 25 overall, Costa Rica falls within the 28 democracies categorized as “full democracies”.  54 countries are rated as “flawed democracies”, including  Panama (44), Honduras (69), El Salvador (70), and Guatamala (77).  At number 89, Nicaragua was classed as a “hybrid regime”.

Scandanavian countries topped the list, and Canada placed 9th overall.  The US and Great Britain, traditionally considered the top democracies were surprisingly low at 17th and 23rd respectively.