Costa Rica

I

Introduction

Costa Rica, country in southern Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama. It has coasts along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish, was named by Christopher Columbus and his explorers, who expected to find gold here. Their hopes were misplaced, and Costa Rica became one of Spain’s poorest colonies. The situation began to improve after Costa Rica gained independence in 1821. Today, the country is known for having the highest standard of living in Central America as well as the highest literacy rate and longest lifespan. Costa Rica has had a stable democracy since the late 1800s.

More people are of Spanish descent in Costa Rica than anywhere else in Central America. Most of the Native American inhabitants died off or fled after Spanish settlers arrived. Today, the country has small mestizo (mixed Spanish and Native American) and black populations.

Most of Costa Rica’s people live in the interior highlands rather than along the coasts. The country’s capital, San José, and other large cities are in the central highlands. The most fertile farmland is also here.

For years Costa Rica was known for its two principal crops: coffee and bananas. Although these crops remain important, Costa Rica’s economy today depends more on industry and tourism than on agriculture. Computer chips are among the products manufactured in the country. Beaches, “cloud forests” high in the mountains, and national parks filled with colorful birds, butterflies, and plants attract many tourists to Costa Rica each year.

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II

Land and Resources

The total area of Costa Rica is 51,060 sq km (19,714 sq mi). The country is bounded on the north by Nicaragua, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, on the southeast by Panama, and on the southwest and west by the Pacific Ocean. The uninhabited and densely wooded tropical Cocos Island, about 480 km (about 300 mi) to the southwest in the Pacific Ocean, is under Costa Rican sovereignty.

The distance across Costa Rica, from the Caribbean to the Pacific, varies from about 120 to 265 km (75 to 165 mi). The short, straight Caribbean coast is low and marshy and fringed with mangrove swamps and lagoons. It lacks good harbors. The more rugged Pacific coast is indented by the Gulf of Nicoya, where the port of Puntarenas is situated, and the Gulf of Dulce. Wide lowlands extend along the almost unindented Caribbean coast. The lowlands along the Pacific are narrower.

Although Costa Rica has lowland areas in the north and along both coasts, most of the country is mountainous. Its rugged highlands, about 900 to 1,800 m (about 3,000 to 6,000 ft) above sea level, consist of several mountain ranges, isolated and clustered volcanoes, and plateau areas. The highest peaks are in the south, near Costa Rica’s border with Panama, where the highlands rise to more than 3,700 m (12,000 ft). Several mountain ranges extend nearly the entire length of the country. These include the Cordillera de Talamanca, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera de Guanacaste. The highest peaks are Chirripó Grande (3,819 m/12,530 ft) and the active volcano of Irazú (3,432 m/ 11,260 ft). In 1968 the Arenal Volcano erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, causing extensive damage and loss of life.

A central plateau, the Meseta Central, is located between the ranges and contains the bulk of the population. Volcanoes have deposited volcanic ash on the plateau, making the soil here extremely fertile. In addition to the capital, San José, the central plateau contains the cities of Alajuela, Heredia, and Cartago.

A

Rivers and Lakes

Costa Rica has no long rivers. The principal stream is the San Juan River, the outlet of Lake Nicaragua. The San Juan River forms part of Costa Rica’s boundary with Nicaragua to the north. The Reventazón River drains the southern central plateau, flowing eastward through deep gorges to the Caribbean. The Río Grande de Tárcoles drains the northwestern part of the central plateau and empties into the Pacific. Costa Rica's only natural lake of any significant size is Lake Arenal, which is located on the eastern side of the Cordillera de Guanacaste.

B

Climate

The climate of Costa Rica ranges from tropical on the coastal plains to temperate in the interior highlands. Average annual temperatures range from 31.7°C (89°F) on the coast to 16.7°C (62°F) inland. Rainfall is abundant. Along the Caribbean coast annual rainfall totals 2,000 to 2,500 mm (80 to 100 in) or more. The Caribbean coast has seasons of more rain and less rain but has no well-defined dry season. On the Pacific side, near Panama, the rainfall is also heavy, but there is a short dry season. In San Jose on the central plateau, the rainy season lasts from May through October, and annual rainfall averages nearly 2,000 mm (77 in). Rainfall is greatest in the mountains. Annual precipitation in the country averages about 3,000 to 3,500 millimeters (120 to 140 inches).

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