Crossword Genius

Value a song about conservative republic (5,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

costa rica

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'republic' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.

'value a song about conservative' is the wordplay.
'value' becomes 'cost' (cost is a kind of value).
'a song' becomes 'aria' (aria is a kind of song).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'conservative' becomes 'C' (UK political abbreviation).
'aria' going around 'c' is 'arica'.
'cost'+'arica'='COSTA-RICA'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for costa rica that I've seen before include "international team?" , "Central American nation" , "A Socratic kind of country in S America" , "source of coffee" , "Central American republic" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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