The Republic of Costa Rica is located in Central America and borders the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea as well as Panama and Nicaragua. The capital is called San José and is also the country’s largest city. It is estimated that about a third of the country’s population lives in San José. The name of the country fits well, Costa Rica means “the rich coast” and this is a country that has a good economy, which is largely due to the fact that it functions as a stable economy.
Mer om Costa Rica
During the 16th century, Costa Rica was colonized by Spain and the country remained a colony until the first Mexican Empire was formed and after that the country was part of the Central American Federation and it was from this federation that it finally gained its independence in 1847. Since independence so Costa Rica has been one of the most stable and successful countries in Latin America. Something that is interesting to note is that they got rid of military service in 1949 and thus Costa Rica became one of the first countries completely without an army. This country has invested heavily in human rights and is a fast-growing economy that once placed the greatest focus on agriculture but which today also has income from areas such as finance, pharmaceuticals and ecotourism. The country is known for progressive environmental programs,
Geography and climate
Costa Rica is located on the Central American headland (Isthmus). The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó which has a peak of 3,819 meters. This peak is Central America’s fifth highest. The country has 14 known volcanoes and six of these have been active for the past 75 years. In addition to volcanic eruptions, there are also earthquakes that can reach around 6 on the Richter scale, and sometimes higher. Costa Rica also consists of several islands such as the Cocos Islands. As the country is located 8-12 degrees north of the equator, it has a tropical climate all year round. According to Bridgat, there are also different variations of the climate depending on altitude differences, rainfall, topography and geography. The seasons are defined by the rainfall and you can divide the year into two periods, rainy season and the dry season.
Economy
The government has done a lot to get foreign investors interested in Costa Rica. For example, tax breaks have been introduced that have made it easier for large global companies to move to the country to develop their products. An exciting area is ecotourism, which has been very important for Costa Rica’s economy. Since 1999, it has been possible to see that tourism attracts more than the three main export products, bananas, pineapples and coffee. Coffee is historically important for Costa Rica and is grown mainly in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas and Cartago. The country is known for slightly finer coffee beans and an example of this is the Tarrazú beans which are considered to be the very best available for making espresso.
