About Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of most highly valued tourist destinations on the planet. This small piece of land includes every fine thing that the world has to offer including stunning waterfalls, pristine jungle, exotic beaches, and unparalleled flora and fauna all waiting to be explored, fished, and enjoyed in the same way that explorers like Sir Francis Drake did 3 centuries ago.

Facts about Costa Rica

1. Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq. miles)
2. Capital: San Jose
3. Population: 4.4 million (UN, 2007)
4. Major languages: Spanish (official), English
5. Life expectancy:  78.1 years (men), 81 (women) (UN, 2007)
   

Costa Rica is located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Well known for its civilized way of life, it is no exaggeration to describe Costa Rica as an oasis of nature and peace.

Despite the small size, the country offers an incredible diversity of landscapes; from huge volcanoes rising from the jungle floor to sweeping white beaches, all terrain is a sight to behold.

Costa Rica at a Glance

1. Strategic location in the center of the Americas
2. Tropical climate
3. Political and economical stability
4. High quality of life
5. Highest literacy rates of the Americas (94.9%)
6. Contains 6% of the world's biodiversity
7. Oldest democracy in the Americas

Strategic Location

1. Costa Rica is in the same time zone as US Central Time. As a result, a direct flight from San Jose to Miami takes only 2:30 hours.
2. Costa Ricahas major ports on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
3. There are 7 Free Trade Zones.  These are located at the borders with Panama and Nicaragua, the Atlantic & Pacific ports, Juan Santamaria International Airport and other strategic points in the country.
   

Political and Economical Stability

Costa Rica is the oldest democracy in Latin America, and its respect for a peaceful political process was highlighted by the abolition of its military in 1949.

Costa Rica is one of the most stable economies in Latin America.  It has maintained a yearly current average growth rate above 7.9%.  As a result, Costa Rica has benefited from an excellent access to global capital markets.

Education and Healthcare Quality

Costa Rica has one of the highest levels of health and education in Latin America.  The government has been able to provide broad access to health, social security, potable water, and basic services for the entire population.  As a result of these efforts, Costa Rica has one of the highest Human Development Indexes among developing nations (0.834) and one of the highest literacy rates of the Americas (94.9%).

Furthermore, according to the World Bank, Costa Rica has the highest life expectancy at birth in all Latin America: 78.1 (men) and 81 (women).  This figure is comparable to those of developed nations, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland.

One of main reasons that Costa Rica attracts foreign investment is due to the highly skilled and bilingual workforce.

Exquisite Biodiversity

1. Costa Rica covers 0.03% of the planet’s surface but contains 6% of the world's biodiversity
2. 26.2% of Costa Rica is composed of protected forest and reserves
3. Provides natural habitats for over 500,000 species
4. Contains 34 national parks
5. Fauna includes: jaguars, pumas, agouties, green turtles, species of monkeys, crocodiles, sloths and over 845 varieties of birds
6. Home to over 1000 varieties of orchids
   

Costa Rica is considered to be one of the 20 countries with the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Its geographic position, two coasts and mountain ranges provide numerous and varied microclimates, species and ecosystems.