The project is developing rapidly and there are some new pieces of information about Costa Rica added recently. All the articles are in English. Other languages are coming soon.
Costa Rica would not display the same intensity and variety of plant and animal life if its topography were not well suited to producing huge amounts of rainfall. The landforms of this popular Neotropical ecotourism destination are quite varied in their own right, and include everything from plains to lofty mountains, dry slopes to foaming waterfalls. Read on to discover more about the intriguing geography of Costa Rica.
No description of a country is complete without an overview of its cultural ways and heritage. With a mix of Spanish, Indian, and Caribbean cultural threads, the tapestry of Costa Rica’s society and customs is a rich and interesting one. Read on, and learn how the modern culture of Costa Rica arose from a mix of indigenous and imported ways, and how it continues to evolve into the new cultural prospects of the 21st century. Some information about the culture of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s history is surprisingly peaceful, considering that the area was a former colony of the Spanish empire in the New World. Beginning as a nearly uninhabited region of remote, mountainous jungle, read how Costa Rica expanded over time, achieved a bloodless independence, witnessed economic development from coffee and banana plantations, eventually abolished its army, and became the tranquil ecological paradise that we know today. See Costa Rica history overview.
The flag of any nation is a very important national symbol, and the distinctive banner of Costa Rica – with its stripes of color copied from the French flag during the Revolutions of 1848 in Europe, and its addition of a small field containing the national coat of arms – has an interesting history in its own right. This article gives you a full description of this flag, as well as the significance of its colors and emblems. Read the full article here: Costa Rica flag.
Correctly drawn, a coat of arms is both a highly distinctive national (or personal) symbol and a compact work of art. The coat of arms of Costa Rica manages to cram many of the nation’s distinctive features, including its position on an isthmus between two oceans, into a single design that manages to be quite artistic and not as crowded as one might imagine. Read here to find out about this heraldic shield and its three volcanoes, seven stars, and rising sun. Read the full article here: Costa Rica Coat of Arms.
Spanish is naturally the chief language of Costa Rica, since the area was seized by the conquistadors in the 16th century along with the remainder of Central and South America. However, as might be expected, the language has been given its own local quirks and details, and there are several other tongues spoken within the confines of Costa Rica – including a patois of English used by the Afro-Costa Ricans in Limon Province. Find out the details here. More about languages used in Costa Rica.
Spanish-American celebrations are almost always colorful and jubilant, and those of Costa Rica are no exception. Read here to learn more about the colorful boyeros parades which are among the most famous of Costa Rica’s annual displays; the brilliant costumes and spicy tropical dancing of the Carnaval; and the distinctive method of bullfighting that the Costa Ricans prefer, in which the bull is always victorious and the sport is bloodless, at least on the bovine side. Join Costa Rica celebrations now!
Bursting with almost half of the country’s population, the Costa Rican capital of San Jose and its surrounding metropolitan area offer plenty of urban delights and amenities to the traveler. However, with national parks only a short distance away, and tranquil tropical gardens open to the public right in the heart of the city, San Jose can serve as the jumping off point for ecotourism adventures as well. Discover more about San Jose in this article.
San Jose is not the only city in Costa Rica, and many of the smaller cities have plenty of charm and interest as well. Indeed, highly distinctive natural treasures are located within a short drive of most of them, and each has interesting features of human architecture as well. This article moves the magnifying glass of curiosity over three cities that represent very different areas of Costa Rica’s natural and human world – Limon, Cartago, and Alajuela. Read about Costa Rica cities.
The seven provinces of Costa Rica each have something unique to offer both tourists and ecotourists, lying as they do in different habitats and greatly differing parts of the country. From soaring volcanoes shuddering with underground thunder and streaked with orange lava at night, to peaceful Pacific beaches, to the lush rainforest of the east and central mountains, there are hundreds of marvels to discover in this nation. This overview of the seven provinces will give you a general idea of what is located where in Costa Rica. Get a virtual tour to Costa Rica provinces.