World search

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.

Within a relatively modest area, Costa Rica has to this day all the things one could want in vacation paradise. Did you know that there are and have always been secluded white sand beaches with wonderful surf and amazing SCUBA diving. Did you know that there are and have always been active volcanoes and towering rain forests. And, eco-tourism is known to be a speciality of the house. Getting around is easy via rental car, plane, or public bus, and the warm and friendly people create travel safe and fun.

Historically, Costa Rica is believed to inhabit indigenous people and overlap Mesoamerican and Andean cultural influences. It lacks a strong native civilization. Costa Rica was considered as a part of New Spain alias Mexico. It was prohibited to trade with its southern neighbors, Panama and Colombia, the impact of which is evident in the lack of development of this country. Forced labor of the indigenous people is another cause of poor economic growth. Costa Rica never fought for its own independence from Spanish crown. It got freedom by default when Spaniards lost Mexican war of independence.

Due to the geographical location in equatorial region, the climate is same throughout the year, characteristically being tropical. It does not have four seasons. Seasons are defined by the amount of rainfall. Humidity is much more on Caribbean side than the Pacific side. The Caribbean slopes are also known to witness more rainfall than the far end. The country experiences dry season from December to April. Rainy season is typically witnessed from the month of May to December.

Costa Rica census of 2010 revealed population of 4.6 million. Majority (94%) of population is white in ethnicity. A very minority of population are black, Chinese and Native American. It is also home to the eight Native American ethnic groups. The white population is mainly of Spanish descent. It is also shelters from Colombia and Nicaragua. The refugees are the result of population migrating into Costa Rica due to civil wars and dictatorships. Nicaraguans are known to migrate seasonally to explore work opportunities and return. World Bank statistics reveal about half a million immigrants. Life expectancy is 79, and remained unchanged since 2005. Christianity encompasses majority of population.