COMPANY NATION.FROM BANANA REPUBLIC banana republic n. A small country that is economically dependent on a single export commodity, such as bananas, and is typically governed by a dictator or the armed forces. TO ECOTOURISM e·co·tour·ism n. Tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest, typically under the guidance of a naturalist, for the purpose of observing wildlife and learning about the environment. hot spot to ... the silicon state? Chip maker Intel needed just 10 months of production to oust oust tr.v. oust·ed, oust·ing, ousts 1. To eject from a position or place; force out: "the American Revolution, which ousted the English" Virginia S. Eifert. tourism from its five-year hegemony as Costa Rica's top foreign-currency earner. The company made US$985 million exporting little silicon wafers. Tourists brought in just $829 million, even though the sector grew at a 16% clip. The gap will widen as Intel becomes fully operational in mid-2000. With only two plants running--eventually, the company will expand to four--Intel is expected to close out 1999 at $1.2 billion in shipments, a fifth of the country's total $6 billion in projected exports. Of these earnings, between 18% and 20% actually stay in the country. Economic development officials are ecstatic, more so now that two other companies--Abbot Laboratories and Procter & Gamble--are setting up shop in the metropolitan area around San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. . Both government and private-sector leaders are hoping to expand the country's technological base beyond the Intel-dominated electronics sector. Tourism boosters say not to count out what visitors bring in. "That money is distributed all over the place--to taxi drivers taxi driver n → taxista m/f taxi driver taxi n → chauffeur m de taxi taxi driver taxi n → , restaurants, hotels. There are a lot of small entrepreneurs in tourism," says consultant Maria Amalia Maria Amalia may refer to:
Tico Export Engines
1998 in US$ millions
Intel $985
Tourism $829
Textiles $759
Bananas $633
Coffee $409
Source: Costa Rican Investment Development Board
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