Costa Rica Official & Unofficial Facts & Highlights.
Official Name: The Republic of Costa Rica.
Government: Democratic Republic
National Holiday: Independence Day, 15 September
Land Area: 51,060 sq km (19,714 sq miles)
Latitude/Longitude: 9º 93N, 84º 08W
The blue band symbolizes the blue sky that covers Costa Rica like a protective blanket. The white stands for the peace that characterizes the country as well as the purity of its ideals. Finally, the red band represents the energy, the courage and the generosity with which the Costa Ricans stand up for their principles and ideals.
The national coat of arms: It shows three volcanoes representing the country's three mountain ranges and a valley. These divide two oceans where ships are sailing, symbolizing the sea ports of the Pacific and the Caribbean Ocean. The seven stars stand for the seven provinces of Costa Rica, and the rising sun commemorates the birth of the new nation. At the top of the coat of arms there is an inscription saying: "Central America"!
Costa Rica joined other Central American provinces in 1821 in a joint declaration of independence from Spain.
The official language is Spanish but English and French are spoken.
Costa Rica is the happiest place on earth, and one of the most environmentally friendly, according to a new survey by a British non-governmental group.
Capital City is San José population approx. 337,000 metro and 1.5 million in the central valley
Highest Point: Mount Chirripo, 12,533 ft. (3,820 m).
Christianity is the predominant religion in Costa Rica, and Roman Catholic is the official state religion as guaranteed by the constitution of 1949. Some 84% of Costa Ricans are Christian.
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is of 95%, one of the highest in Latin America. Elementary and high schools are found throughout the country in practically every community. Universal public education is guaranteed in the constitution. Primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and high school are free.
There are both state and private universities in Costa Rica. The University for Peace (UPEACE) was established in Costa Rica in 1980 to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace and with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. At present, the University of Peace Costa Rica Campus has 170 students from 52 different countries, making it one of the most diverse universities in the world for its size. UPEACE is the only institution in the UN family authorized to grant degrees at the Master's and Doctoral levels. The language of instruction is English.
Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which in turn are divided into 81 cantons ("cantón" in Spanish, plural "cantones"), each of which is directed by a mayor. Mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton's people.
The unit of currency is the colón, which trades around 575 to the U.S. dollar; currently about 710 to the euro.
Costa Rica ranked as the 5th cleanest country worldwide according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) which was developed by Yale and Columbia University.
In November 2008, the Costa Rican government voted to implement the Central American Free Trade Agreement that Costa Rican voters had approved in October 2007.
Costa Rica's location provides access to American markets as it has the same time zone as the central part of the United States.
Major Industries: Tourism, agriculture (coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber), and electronic exports.
Electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in Costa Rica's economy.
Intel computer chips, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, and consumer products company Procter & Gamble are just a few of the high tech corporations developing in Costa Rica. In 2006 Intel's microprocessor facility alone was responsible for 20% of Costa Rican exports and 4.9% of the country's GDP. Expected to reach 25% by 2010.
There are 780 miles of pristine coastline with hundreds of great Costa Rica beaches. Uncrowded beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
Around 25% of the country's land area is in protected national parks and protected areas, the largest percentage of protected areas in the world.
Costa Rica has more species of butterflies than on the entire African continent and almost as many different species of birds as in the entire continent of Europe.
The Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica is called by National Geographic as the most biologically intense place on the planet.
Costa Rica has nearly one-fifth of all the species of plants and animals in the world.
Costa Rica has four monkey species. These include the White-headed Capuchin, the Mantled Howler, the endangered Geoffroy's Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey.
Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize winner, President of Costa Rica (1986-1990, 2006-2010).
Laura Chinchilla is the first female and present President of Costa Rica (2010-present)
Costa Rica has more than 100 volcanoes, including some that still erupt like Volcano Arenal and there are others that you can literally walk into. They belong to so called Pacific Rim of Fire. Seven are considered to be active. The highest volcano in Costa Rica is Volcano Irazu and on a clear day you can see the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans at the same time.
Thousands of Americans travel to Costa Rica for cosmetic surgery, dental, or other medical care because the quality of care is world-class but often only about one-third to half the price of the United States.
In 1992 Dr. Donald Perry designed the first rain forest aerial tram in Costa Rica at a cost of $2m. He was the first to use zip-lines to study the rain forest canopy. This work appeared on the covers of Scientific American, Smithsonian, and New York Sunday Times magazines. It was featured in Newsweek, Life, Geo, Paris Match, Quick of Germany, as well as numerous publications and documentaries worldwide. The feature film Medicine Man was based upon his book LIFE ABOVE THE JUNGLE FLOOR.
Costa Rica and Isla Nublar (fictional island) were the main settings for the book and movie Jurassic Park.
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company manufactures official Major League baseballs for MLB, Minor League Baseball and the NCAA College World Series in Turrialba, Costa Rica.
Unofficial Motto: "Pura Vida."- the words convey the state of happiness, peace, and tranquility that the political stability and freedom bring to Costa Ricans. The phrase actually comes from a 1956 Mexican movie, "Pura Vida!" By 1970 Costa Ricans were using the expression on a daily basis. The expression "Pura Vida" has become so popular that has been added to Costa Rican Spanish dictionaries as an idiom to greet, or to show appreciation.
After years of waiting, Costa Ricans finally have a new train in service. The Costa Rican President, Oscar Arias, drove the train on its first time on the railroad tracks, which had been set more than 100 years ago, and had been out of use for decades. The train goes from Downtown San Jose to the neighboring city of Heredia, where many of those who work in the Capital city live.
The following video shows President Oscar Arias addressing the audience at the train's maiden voyage and inauguration, about the importance this new service will have for commuters and all citizens in general. The excitement at the new trains is visible through the hundreds of people lining the train tracks waiting for the train, waving flags and hands as it passed.
A banana tree looks somewhat like a palm tree, and fruit bananas are actually considered perennial herbs. Banana trees grow to a height of 15 to 30 feet (some species reach 40 feet) in about 3 months. Clusters are called hands, and each contains 10 to 20 fingers. There can be 200 fingers on a tree and each bunch weighs between 80 to 125 pounds. It takes two men to harvest them. One uses a machete and the other catches the bunch on his back.
Medicinal Uses of Bananas:
These range from helping with Anemia to Warts.
Anemia- Bananas seem to stimulate production of hemoglobin in the blood and help anemic people.
Blood pressure- Bananas are high in potassium and low in salt. The U.S. FDA allows the industry to make claims about bananas ability to reduce risk for blood pressure and stroke.
Constipation- Bananas are high in fiber and help some people avoid the use of laxatives.
Depression- Bananas contain tryptophan, which converts to serotonin, which improves mood.
Hangovers- Bananas help calm the stomach. Add some honey, and the combination builds up depleted sugar levels and re-hydrates the body.
Heartburn- Bananas have a natural antacid effect, which may also help in morning sickness.
Mosquito bites- The inside skins can reduce swelling and irritation.
PMS and SAD (seasonal affect disorder)- B6 helps regulate blood glucose levels and the tryptophan ingredient probably helps moods.
Smoking- The vitamin levels in bananas, along with the potassium and magnesium, seem to help with nicotine withdrawal.
Stress, Strokes, and Ulcers- Bananas seem to help lower metabolic levels, lower the metabolic rate, and reduce hyperacidity, respectively.
Warts- As an alternative cure for warts, some people swear by banana skins. Place the yellow side out and tape to the skin with surgical tape.
Bungee Jumping- there are two major bungee jumps here in Costa Rica. The first one is located at the Colorado River Bridge, and has been there for operations since 1991. With a height of 265 feet, the bungee jump at the Colorado River Bridge is one of the tallest in Americas, offering those who are up for an adventure a bungee length of up to 200 ft. Add to this the scenic beauty around the bridge and you can already say that this must be the best bungee jump in Costa Rica. Visitors can choose from premade packages of one or two jumps, along with a trip to and from San Jose.
Arenal and La Fortuna also offer a great opportunity for beginning bungee jumpers to pump their adrenaline, especially since you can take the option of touching the water at the end of your jump, or you might just want to take a big swing. At 85ft, this isn't really the longest jump that you'll ever have to make, but it is certainly not something that you could look over.
Costa Rica doesn't allow foreigners into the country unless they know exactly when they are leaving, "No one way tickets".
