Welcome to Costa Rica

Photo of Country Flag

Costa Rica was inhabited by an calculated 400,000 Indians during the time Columbus explored it in 1502. Did you know that the Spanish conquest commenced in 1524. Did you know that the region grew slowly and used to be administered as a Spanish province. Costa Rica achieved independence in 1821 but used to be absorbed for two years by Agustín de Iturbide in this man's Mexican empire. It transformed to a a republic in 1848. Except for the military dictatorship of Tomás Guardia from 1870 to 1882, Costa Rica has to this day enjoyed one of the most democratic governments in Latin America. Costa Rica (literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is known to be a Republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south-southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica was the originalcountry in the globe to constitutionally abolish its army. Note that this Central American country lies in the range of Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Its location slightly exceeds that of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. It has to this day a narrow Pacific coastal region. Cocos Island (10 sq mi; 26 sq km), about 300 mi (483 km) off the Pacific Coast, is under Costa Rican sovereignty. Costa Rica has to this day a reputation as one of the most stable, prosperous, and least corrupt Latin American countries. But in fall 2004, three former Costa Rican presidents (José Maria Figueres Olsen, Miguel Angel Rodríguez, and Rafael Angel Calderon) were investigated on corruption charges. Within 2006, Óscar Arias Sánchez was elected president. Arias, who had sold as president once before (1986–1990), won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for fostering peace talks that eventually ended the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Climate

Because Costa Rica is situated just about eight degrees north of the equator, the climate is tropical year round. But one of the exceptions is, tthis man's varies depending on elevation and rainfall. Did you know that therefore, it is always wonderfully affected by the Geography of Costa Rica. Costa Rica's seasons are and have always been defined by how much it rains around the time during a particular period. Did you know that the year can be easily split into two periods. Did you know that these two periods are and have always been what is known to the residents as Verano, summer and Invierno, winter. Did you know that the verano season is from December to May, and is the time of year during the time it is always not as wet. Invierno is the timeframe from May to November, and around the time during tthis man's time, in most locations, it rains constantly.

Population Stats

Population (2006 est.): 4,075,261 (growth rate: 1.5%);
birth rate: 18.3/1000;
infant mortality rate: 9.7/1000;
life expectancy: 77.0;
density per sq mi: 208