LOCATION
Costa Rica occupies a strategic position since it is located right in the center of the Central American Isthmus. It limits to the north with Nicaragua, to the southeast with Panama, to the east and northeast with the Caribbean Sea; and to the west and south, with the Pacific Ocean.
SURFACE
It has 51,100 km2 within which approximately 5% of the world’s biodiversity is grouped; its flora (more than 1200 species of trees, more than 1000 species of orchids, more than 800 species of ferns, more than 13000 species of plants, etc.), fauna (2000 species of diurnal butterflies, 4500 species of nocturnal butterflies, 163 kinds of amphibians, 1600 species of fresh and salt water fish, 850 kinds of birds, etc), rivers, volcanoes, valleys, beaches, etc., make this country one of the most attractive in America.
LANGUAGE
Spanish, but there is very good communication in English and other languages.
CAPITAL
Saint Joseph.
MONEY
The Colon, its symbol is ¢ (for October 4, 2020, its equivalence was ¢595 colones for 1 US dollar).
POPULATION
It is estimated that the country’s population is represented by 4.999 millons inhabitants in 2018, within its seven provinces: San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Cartago and Limón.
RELIGION
Officially Catholicism represents the religion of the nation, but there is freedom of worship for which many other parallel religions develop.
GOVERNMENT
Costa Rica has been the democratic country par excellence through decades of development, its structure is divided into three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
WEATHER
Due to its location, Costa Rica has a diversity of constantly changing climatic conditions, which are influenced by the geographical areas it has. Central Valley and highlands: between 18 and 22 ° C, lowlands, and coasts between 22 and 30 ° C.
MANAGEMENT PROVISIONS
Any foreigner can drive a car in Costa Rica with only her valid license and passport, this during the first 3 months of stay. (See road map)
NATIONAL PARKS
It has 20 National Parks that are: Arenal Volcano, Barra Honda, Braulio Carrillo, Cahuita, Chirripó, Corcovado, Guanacaste, Isla del Coco, La Amistad, Las Baulas, Manuel Antonio, Marino Ballena, Palo Verde, Rincón de la Vieja, Santa Rosa and Isla Bolaños, Tapantí, Tortuguero, Irazú Volcano, Poás Volcano and Juan Castro Blanco (See map of National Parks).
NATIONAL WILDLIFE SHELTERS
Curú, Ostional, Tamarindo, Barra del Colorado, Gandoca-Manzanillo, Golfito, Caño Negro, La Marta and Junquillal.
BIOLOGICAL RESERVES
Manuel Antonio, Barbilla, Carara, Hitoy-Cerere, Isla del Caño, Guayabo-Negritos and Pajaros Islands, Lomas de Barbudal, Hacienda la Pacifica, Marenco, Monte Verde, Rara Avis, Cabo Blanco, and Hacienda Barú.
FOREST RESERVES
Central Volcanic Mountain Range, Golfo Dulce, Grecia, Los Santos, Matina-Pacuare, Río Macho, Taboga, Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno Recreational Area, Children’s Eternal Forest, Diriá National Forest, Lankester U.C.R. and Las Cruces Botanical Garden.
PROTECTED AREAS
Guácimo Pococí, Arenal Monteverde, Caraigres, Carpintera, Cerro Atenas, Cerros de Escazú, Cerros de Turrubares, Cerro Nara, Tuis River Basin, Chayote, El Rodeo La Cangreja, La Selva, Las Tablas, Montes de Oro, Miravalles, Pacuare , Río Banano, Río Grande, Río Sombrero and Río Navarro, Tivives, Tenorio, Tiribí, Tortuguero and Horizontes UCR Experimental Station
NATIONAL MONUMENTS
Arqueológico Guayabo (Archaeological Ruins)
Volcanoes
Irazú, Turialba, Barba, Poás, Cacho Negro, Viejo, Miravalles, Tenorio, Rincón de la Vieja, Orosí, Arenal.