Location
Costa Rica is located just two hours from Miami, Florida. This makes it an easily accessible destination from any continent. Located in Central America, this part of the isthmus occupies only 0.03% of the planet, but hosts approximately 6% of the world’s biodiversity.
Bordered by Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the South, the country’s 51,000 square km. are surrounded by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. You will be surprised by the 3 hour land journey or 45 minute air-trip to travel from the Central Valley to either coast.
The country is known for its amazing natural scenery, where National Parks and Biological Reserves have been established as well as other social and infrastructure development projects.
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Geography
One can encounter high altitude zones of between 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea-level. Guanacaste’s Mountain Range, the Central Mountains, and the Talamanca Mountains are the country’s principal mountainous zones. There are also several volcanoes (Arenal, Irazú, Rincón de la Vieja and Turrialba), and the country’s highest mountain (Chirripó), at 3,819 mts. Costa Rica has a long coastline on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and an ample number of rivers that attract kayaking and river-rafting experts from around the world.
Climate
The climate in Costa Rica is temperate year round, with higher temperatures in the coastal areas. Temperatures in mountainous zones are not cold, particularly during the day, which gives a feeling of “eternal spring”. The average annual temperatures range from 31.7°C (89°F) on the coast to 16.7°C (62°F) inland.
The rainy season goes from May to November. The dry season starts from December to April.
Our people
The “ticos”, as we are generally known, are a mix of races. Although the majority of the 4 million inhabitants are descendents of Spanish immigrants, many families also come from different parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and of course, Central America. There is a surprising number of light-skinned people, particularly in the Central Valley. In other areas, most people are of mixed indigenous-European descent, while on the Caribbean coast a large part of the population is of African descent and in the Talamanca region distinct indigenous groups coexist.
Communicactions
Costa Rica has one of the most advanced telecommunications systems in Latin America, with phone and fax services throughout the country. More and more people are becoming connected to the Internet. To call or send a fax to Costa Rica, the country prefix is (506). There is also mail services and a large variety of courier services. Principal hotels in downtown San José and outside the capital have cable or satellite TV, with US, European and other channels. You can also find newspapers and magazines from other countries at many hotels and stores in the capital area.
Health and Education
The Costa Rican government has long dedicated a significant portion of its national budget to education and other social services, a policy whose result has been a healthy and educated populace. The country has a literacy rate and average life expectancy that are much closer to those of Western European nations than most Latin American countries. Costa Rica has had a socialized medical system for nearly half a century, and while schools and clinics are found throughout the country, the Central Valley has several public universities and dozens of private universities.
Travelers are more likely to encounter more educated people, and don’t have to worry about most of the diseases they would expect to encounter in a tropical country.
Health care in Costa Rica is very good and sanitary standards are high. First-class hospitals are found throughout San José and some of the other largely populated areas.
The water is safe to drink in all areas of the country, but bottled beverages are recommended in rural areas. For those few travelers that do become sick or injured while in Costa Rica, there are hospitals and private clinics in San Jose provide a level of care comparable to that found in the United States, and for considerably less money.
Important Facts
Time: Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time
Population: Approximately 4 million inhabitants.
Language: The official language is Spanish, though English is widely spoken as a second language.
Currency : The official currency is the Colón. However, American dollars are widely accepted.
Government: The three branches of government are the Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The President and members of the Legislative Assembly serve four-year terms. The current head of state is Dr. Abel Pacheco.
Main cities: The capital is San Jose, head of one of seven provinces. The others are Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limon .
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