In , on his fourth and last voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus made the first European landfall in the area. Settlement of Costa Rica began in The Spanish optimistically called the place "Rich Coast. For nearly three centuries, Spain administered the region as part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala under a military governor. The small landowners' relative poverty, the lack of a large indigenous labor force, the population's ethnic and linguistic homogeneity, and Costa Rica's isolation from the Spanish colonial centers in Mexico and the Andes all contributed to the development of an autonomous and individualistic agrarian society.
An egalitarian tradition also arose. This tradition survived the widened class distinctions brought on by the 19th-century introduction of banana and coffee cultivation and consequent accumulations of local wealth. Costa Rica joined other Central American provinces in in a joint declaration of independence from Spain. Costa Rica abolished its military forces in and since then has devoted substantial resources to investment in health and education.
It is a country that has placed a high priority in investing in public education, including the university system, as well as technical and vocational training. Its population of 4. The Costa Rican government is ruled by a series of constitutional controls. The executive responsibilities rest on the President, supported by two Vice-presidents and a 57 Congressmen cabinet; all of them are elected every 4 years.
Costa Rica is blessed with impressive scenic beauty a fact that is not lost on the more than one million tourists that visit each year.
Located in Central America in an area that covers A trip to Costa Rica affords the opportunity to visit 12 different life zones, 20 national parks, 26 protected areas, nine forest reserves, eight biological reserves and seven wildlife sanctuaries. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The Caribbean Sea is to the east and the Pacific Ocean is to the west. Costa Rica is slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia. There are two major mountain ranges in the country: the Cordillera Volcanica and the Cordillera de Talamanca.
As in many other Central American countries, Costa Rica suffers from occasional volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
Family is very important in Costa Rica. Children often live with their families until they are married. Leisure is treasured above work in Costa Rica. While work is necessary to earn a living, Ticos, as Costa Ricans call themselves, believe people should enjoy their lives. Indigenous languages are spoken in communities such as the Bribri, the language of the people of the Talamanca region. And English is often spoken as a second language.
There are many festivals and holidays around religious events, including Holy Week and Christmas. Futbol, or soccer, is by far the most popular sport in Costa Rica. Even small towns have a soccer team. The geological pressure of tectonic plate movement creates sweeping mountain ranges as the plates collide with one another. Costa Rica is home to dozens of volcanoes , many of which are still active.
Poas Volcano is one of the most impressive and, although the last major eruption occurred in , steam and ash can still be seen spewing from the mountaintop regularly. Some of these stones can be around million years old. Ophiolites are particularly common in southern Guanacaste and Puntarenas.
This means that when the majority of the US puts their clocks forward 1 hour in the spring, Costa Rica does not change.
Additionally, Costa Ricans take pride in being citizens of a country that abolished its army since Geography: Costa Rica has a variety of terrains, including valleys and plains. The country also has a great number of volcanoes, some of which are currently active.
Climate: The climate in Costa Rica is tropical and subtropical. There are only two seasons: the dry season, which lasts from December to April and the rainy season from May to November.
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