An Amazing Country
A unique feature of Costa Rica is that it does not have
an army. Costa Ricans decided there would be less chance for dictator
coups without one, and so it has become the global model of democracy.
During the last 50 years, the money that would have gone into the military
has been spent on education. They have one of the highest literacy rates
in the world.
Today Costa Rica has the highest standard of living in Central America,
the second lowest birth rate and the greatest degree of economic and social
advance. Want more details about this fantastic country, please use this
link to visit our page: All about Costa Rica, on this site.
A special gift Costa Rica gives to the world is a system of National Parks,
Biological Reserves, Indian Reserves, Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Corridors,
more than 25% of the nation's land is dedicated to preservation. Costa
Rica contains and astonishing diversity and abundance of tropical flora
and fauna. Caribbean and Pacific beaches border a land filled with white-water
rivers, waterfalls, tropical rain forests, active volcanoes, mountain
cloud forests, and exotic wildlife.
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Statistics
Area - 50,895 square kilometers
Population - Three million
Capital - San Jose (pop. 300,000)
Language - Spanish
Location - C. America between Nicaragua & Panama
(8°-11° N of equator)
Currency - Colon (Floats, approx $1 US = 240) Bills:
5,000, 1,000, 500, 100, 50 Follow this link to a currency converter
Religion - More than 90 percent of Costa Ricans are Roman
Catholic.
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Geography
A backbone of volcanoes and mountains, an extension of
the Andes-Sierra Madre chain, which runs along the western side of the
Americas, divide the country. Costa Rica has four distinct cordilleras
or mountain ranges -- Guanacaste and Tilaran in the north, Central and
Talamanca in the south. Costa Rica is part of the Pacific "Rim of
Fire" and has seven of the isthmus's 42 active volcanoes plus dozens
of dormant or extinct cones. Earth tremors and small quakes shake the
country from time to time. The country's highest point is Mt. Chirripo
(3,797 meters). The capital, San Jose, the neighboring major cities of
Alajuela and Heredia lie in the middle of the Meseta Central (Central
Valley). Almost two-thirds of the nation's population live in this small,
fertile valley. The Pacific coastal plain is much narrower than its Caribbean
counterpart. Both coasts are lined with white and black sand beaches.
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Climate
Costa Rica is a tropical country, which contains several
distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most
regions have a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from
December to April. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches nationwide with
some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet on exposed eastern
slopes. Temperature is more a matter of elevation than location with a
mean of around 72 degrees in the Central Valley, 82 degrees on the Atlantic
coast and 89 degrees on the Pacific coast.
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Travel Documents
Effective December 9, 2003, the Government of Costa Rica has announced that all foreign
visitors must present a valid passport for entrance into the country. Your passport must be
valid for at least 90 days from the date of arrival. Please check with the Costa Rican Consulate,
or appropriate agency, in your country for any other entry requirements.You
are required to carry your passport with you at all times.
If you are stopped by officials, a photocopy with your photo, passport
number and entry stamp will usually suffice.
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Health Aid
You are unlikely to encounter any serious diseases in
Costa Rica. Sanitary standards are high and the health system is excellent.
No vaccinations are required to enter Costa Rica as epidemic diseases
have been all but eradicated throughout the country. Infectious hepatitis,
a serious problem throughout Central America, is reported only rarely
in Costa Rica.
Several private hospitals in San Jose offer emergency medical services
to foreigners at reasonable prices.
Costa Rica's Social Security system (the Caja) offers a medical insurance
assistance program for foreigners needing emergency medical assistance.
The coverage can be bought at travel agencies, language schools or through
tour companies.
All the information above is courtesy of the Green Arrow
Guide, CNN and Oanda.
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