The Complete Educational Guide to Costa Rica

Quick Facts

Capital: San Jose
Population: 5.048 million
Total Area: 19,761 mi²
Highest Elevation: 12,532 ft.

Geography 

Where is it?

Costa Rica is a Central American country located on the land bridge between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It borders Panama on its south and Nicaragua on its north. It is located at around 10° North of the equator, putting the country squarely in the tropics. 

Typical Climate

Due to its location in the tropics, Costa Rica has consistently warm weather all year long, with average temperatures ranging from the low 70’s to the ’90s depending on elevation. Instead of four seasons, Costa Rica only has 2, rainy and dry. The rainy season typically lasts from May to November along the Pacific Coast, with the dry season lasting from December to April. The in-between times are called the shoulder seasons, and they often have both wet and dry days. 

The Eastern Coast, in contrast, typically has abundant rain throughout the year, with no real distinction between rainy and dry seasons. 

While it is definitely cloudier in the rainy seasons, storms aren’t usually an all-day occurrence, and there will often be plenty of sunshine even on rainy days!

Landscape

Costa Rica has a dynamic and beautiful landscape with both vast areas of wild rainforests and mountainous savannas, depending on where you visit.  

The Eastern Caribbean Coast has long strands of beautiful beaches, mangrove forests, and coastal plains along its entire length, whereas the Pacific side is divided into lush rainforests and beaches in the south, and a drier forest region in the north. 

Mountains and Volcanoes

The middle of the country is more mountainous, due to Costa Rica’s three main mountain ranges: the Cordillera de Guanacaste, the Cordillera de Tilaran, and the Cordillera de Talamanca. 

The Cordillera de Guanacaste is the northernmost of the three and boasts several volcanoes, including Rincón de la Vieja volcano, where you can find active mud pots, and Arenal Volcano, overlooking the city of La Fortuna. 

The central range, the Cordillera de Tilaran, is home to Costa Rica’s other three active volcanoes, Poás, Irazu, and Turrialba. 

The southern range, the Cordillera Talamanca, boasts the highest and most difficult to reach mountains in Costa Rica. The tallest mountain in Costa Rica is Chirripó Grande, which rises to 12,530 feet (3,819 meters) in the south. 

Forests

Costa Rica’s forests can be classified into three different classes: Tropical Rainforests, Cloud Forests, and Tropical Dry Forests. 

The tropical rainforests are found throughout the country but are densest along the wetter coastal regions. Some great examples of tropical rainforests in Costa Rica are El Tortuguero National Park, bordering the Caribbean, and Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Parks along the Pacific coast.

Cloud forests are higher altitude rain forests that have cooler temperatures and are typically shrouded in cloud coverage. Monteverde is the most famous example of a cloud forest in the country. 

Costa Rica’s dry forests are mostly located in the country’s northwest, in the Guanacaste province. Dry forests receive far less rain than the other forest types, and much of Costa Rica’s dry forestland has a climate very similar to a savanna. The drier climate means the trees are typically more sparsely distributed. 

Major Cities

Costa Rica’s most populous city is also its capital city, San Jose, and 2 more of the top 5 most populous cities (Alajuela and Heredia) are part of the same metro area. 

Common Natural Disasters

Most of Central America is prone to hurricanes, and Costa Rica is no exception. In general, hurricanes tend to be the most common natural disaster in Costa Rica. The deadliest such storm was Hurricane Cesar in 1996, which caused a total of 39 deaths. 

Other common disasters include earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, due to the country’s location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. These events are less predictable than hurricanes and can happen with much less warning. It was a volcanic eruption, in fact, that gave La Fortuna, Costa Rica its name after the city survived an unusually large volcanic eruption from the nearby Arenal Volcano in 1968.

The largest earthquake in recent history was the 1991 Limon earthquake, which caused the collapse of many buildings in the city of Limon, as well as the deaths of 48 people. 

Flora and Fauna

Tropical rainforests have some of the highest rates of biodiversity of any biome in the world, and this is very obvious in Costa Rica. Animals like the three-toed and two-toes sloths get most of the spotlight, but Costa Rica is home to tons of wildlife! Some examples are macaws and toucans, multiple species of monkeys, lots of frogs, like the red-eyed tree frog or the blue-jeans poison dart frog, and animals that look more familiar to North American visitors, like white-tailed deer, raccoons, and squirrels! 

Costa Rican plant life is also very diverse, with some reports listing more than 9,000 different kinds of flowering plants! Some notable examples include the mangroves along the Caribbean coast, a diverse array of orchids, heliconias, and bromeliads, and Costa Rica’s national tree, the guanacaste, which has large ear-shaped seed pods that are often used in local art. 

National wildlife symbol – White-tailed Deer, for its combination of tenderness, peace, and strength
Other National animal – Three-toed and Two-toed sloths, for their encapsulation of the ‘Pura Vida’ life (as of July 2021) 
National bird – Clay-Colored Thrush, for its cheerful disposition
National Flower – La Guaria Morada, for its importance in Costa Rican legends
National Tree – Guanacaste, as a symbol of abundance and protection 

Economy and History

Major Languages

Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, and it is by far the most widely spoken language in the country. However, due to its popularity as a tourist spot, there are a variety of other languages spoken within its borders. Of these, English is the most common. 

Interestingly, there are some local communities that speak English as their first language, including a Quaker settlement near Monteverde that speaks an older dialect that still uses thou instead of you. 

Costa Rica also takes great pride in maintaining its indigenous national languages. The largest of these are the Bribri, Buglere, Cabécar, Guaymí, Guna, and Maléku languages.

Currency

Costa Rica’s national currency is the Costa Rican Colon, which is abbreviated as CRC. They use the ₡ symbol for prices, and the Colon is valued at roughly 620 Colones per dollar at the time of this writing. 

For reference, a can of Coca-Cola costs ₡640. 

Economy/Exports

Costa Rica has a stable economy and a relatively high standard of living, due in large part to its absolutely amazing landscapes. Costa Rica’s most visible industry is tourism, though it actually makes most of its money through the export of technology! They also have a thriving agricultural trade, which makes great use of the country’s fertile soil. 

Technology 

Costa Rica is home to a wide variety of tech companies, including well-known names like Intel and HP. This has led to a very large portion of Costa Rica’s income being from tech exports. In fact, in 2018, Costa Rica exported more than $3.3 billion in tech exports, making up 5.8% of its total GDP for the year!

Agricultural Exports

Agriculture is one of the major money-makers for much of Central America, and Costa Rica is no different. They are specifically well-known for their coffee and banana exports, but also have a thriving cattle trade. 

Tourism

While the larger cities are the places where the most people live, they are not actually the most popular places for tourists to visit. Costa Rica is known for its natural wonders, and it is the wild places that hold them that pull in the most tourists.  

A Brief History

Archaeologists say that Costa Rica has been inhabited for roughly 10,000 years, though there is not a ton known about the people who lived there before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1502. The indigenous cultures of that time showed influences from both the other indigenous cultures from the north and from the south, but the indigenous peoples who lived in Costa Rica itself belonged to neither group. 

The arrival of Europeans to the area brought with it diseases, such as smallpox, which wiped out much of the indigenous population. Even so, Europe’s focus remained on the areas of Latin America that were rich in mineral wealth, like Mexico and Peru, and Costa Rica was left mostly to itself. The first colonial city in Costa Rica was not founded until 1562, much later than in surrounding countries. 

Costa Rica remained a colony of Spain until 1821 when many of the countries in Central America declared their independence and broke away from Spain. A few years later, in 1824, Costa Rica elected its first head of state, Juan Mora Fernandez. 

In 1948, Costa Rica was plunged into a civil war after President Rafael Angel Calderon refused to relinquish power after losing the election. The war only lasted about a month, and the subsequent president made sweeping changes to Costa Rica’s government, including giving voting rights to black citizens, banning the Communist Party, and nationalizing the banks. 

Since that time, Costa Rica has disassembled its military, and become an economic and tourism hotspot in Central America. 

Culture

Pura Vida

When talking about Costa Rican Culture, it is impossible not to mention the idea of the “Pura Vida” lifestyle. Think of it in the same way you would think of saying “no worries,” and you won’t be far off, but for Costa Ricans, it is much more than just words. 

Meaning pure life, the phrase “Pura Vida” has become one of the best-known ideals among the people of Costa Rica. It is a verbal representation of the way that many Costa Ricans live, and the phrase can be heard in a variety of contexts throughout the entire country. 

Food

Much of the food that you can find in Costa Rica is fairly typical Central American fare, with a heavy emphasis on rice, beans, plantains, and meat. But though the ingredients may be familiar, Costa Rica has a tendency to put its own spin on things.

Gallo Pinto

At first look, Costa Rica’s national dish doesn’t seem to be very different from the plate of rice and black beans that you can get in any number of countries. However, a single, particularly Costa Rican addition sets it apart from all the rest. Lizano sauce. 

Lizano sauce is a sweet, tomato-based sauce that is produced in Costa Rica, and which gives Gallo Pinto its distinctive flavor. 

Casados

Casados come with a variety of meats, with seasoned chicken, beef, or fish all on the menu. No matter which meat you choose, though, the rest of the dish stays mostly the same. 

Rice, beans, salad, and delicious fried patacones all come together to make this a staple dish throughout the country.

Sopa Negra

This black bean soup is one dish that definitely lives up to its name. It is made using a base of black beans, but the beans themselves are removed before the soup is served, making sopa negra into a broth-like bowl of soup. The flavor of the beans remains and makes for a wonderful, vegetarian-friendly dish. 

Clothing

In general, American-style clothing is common in Costa Rica except for special occasions. But on festival days and holidays, people will often wear the national costume instead. 

For men, the national costume is fairly simple and consists of long pants with a colored belt, and a white shirt. A colorful bandana is worn around the neck to give a bit of flair, and a brimmed hat finishes the look. 

Women, in contrast, wear a white blouse with bright skirts in the colors that represent the province where they live (called golas). Different regions wear a variety of other accessories as well that reflect the specific culture of that area, from African turbans to small golden crosses. 

Religion 

Catholicism is the official religion of Costa Rica and is by far the most commonly practiced one. The next largest religious group is composed of Evangelicals and Protestants, making up around 20% of the total population. 27% of the population claims no religion at all.

Government

Costa Rica is a democratic republic, divided into Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. 

Executive 

The President of Costa Rica is both the head of state and the head of the government and is responsible for the executive branch, similar to what occurs in the USA. However, Costa Rica elects 2 vice-presidents instead of only a single one. 

Presidents are elected every 4 years, with the possibility of re-election only if they have been out of office for at least 8 years. 

Legislative 

The Legislative assembly is composed of 57 Legislative assembly deputies who are elected for 4-year terms during the same election cycle as the president. Legislators are elected via a direct vote, using proportional representation across the country’s 7 provinces.

Judicial 

Magistrates for the Costa Rican Supreme Court of Justice are chosen by the Legislative Assembly to serve 8-year terms. These 22 magistrates work to review matters of constitutionality across new laws, executive actions, and more.  

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO sites are often some of my favorite places to visit in a country, and they can give a wonderful glimpse into a place’s history, culture, and nature. 

There are 4 different UNESCO World Heritage sites in Costa Rica, including one cultural site and 3 different natural sites.

Cultural Sites

Stone Spheres of Diquís

The stone spheres are a collection of over 300 spherical carved stones spread throughout the Diquís Delta and on the Isla del Caño. These large stone balls date back to between 600 CE and the early 1000s CE, and no one is really sure why or how they were carved. Nor is it completely clear who carved them, though it is believed that they came out of the now extinct Diquís culture.

You can visit the Stone Spheres in situ at either of two sites that are open to the public, the National Monument Guayabo in the Cartago province, or at Finca 6 in the Puntarenas province. They can also be seen at the National Museum of Costa Rica in San Jose.

Natural Sites

Area de Conservación Guanacaste

The Guanacaste Conservation Area is located in the northwest corner of the country and is about 630 square miles in area, encompassing areas of land and sea. It has four different major tropical ecosystems, and an absolutely staggering amount of biodiversity, including many different endangered species! 

Several national parks are located within the borders of the conservation area, making it a great place to visit if you’re looking to get out into nature!

Cocos Island National Park

Cocos Island is located 550km (340 miles) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and is well-known as an amazing place for diving with large aquatic animals, such as sharks, rays, dolphins, and more! 

It is home to endangered shark species such as the Scalloped Hammerhead and the Silky Shark and hosts some of the richest examples of Eastern Pacific coral reefs. 

Its remote location and beautiful landscape led to it being the inspiration for the book Treasure Island, and it indeed did serve as a hiding spot for pirate treasure during the early 1800s. It is thought that there is still treasure buried there today!

Cocos Island is an incredible place to visit, however, due to its remote location and lack of amenities, it is not a common stop for most tourists.

Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park

La Amistad National Park sits on the border between Costa Rica and Panama and is shared between the two countries. It is another difficult to reach area, with some of the most rugged terrain in Costa Rica, as well as dense tropical rainforests. 

It is also home to a whole host of amazing animals, including all six species of neotropical cat! 

The Talamanca Range is also home to Costa Rica’s highest elevation peak, Cerro Chirripó, which is one of Costa Rica’s national symbols.  

National Parks

Costa Rica has a robust National Park system that is working to preserve its amazing views of nature for everyone. In fact, there are 30 different National Parks in Costa Rica, in a space that is only around the size of West Virginia!

Arenal Volcano National Park

Arenal Volcano National Park is located not far from La Fortuna in the Alajuela province. The Volcano is considered to be an active volcano since it last erupted in 2010. However, it is not considered to be a dangerous volcano at the moment, and the landscape surrounding it is absolutely gorgeous! 

Alongside beautiful rainforests, the area is also home to volcanic hot springs and Costa Rica’s largest lake, Lake Arenal. 

Chirripó National Park

Chirripó National Park is composed of the area around Costa Rica’s tallest peak, Cerro Chirripó. 

As such, the main draw to the area is mountain climbing, though there are plenty of less challenging trails in the vicinity. 

Chirripó is one of only a handful of areas in Costa Rica where you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean sea from the same point.

Corcovado National Park

Corcovado National Park is an area of dense tropical rainforest located on the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. It is some of the most biodiverse forest lands on Earth and has been called “the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity” by National Geographic. 

The area is home to many different endangered species, as well as the largest tract of tropical lowlands rainforest in the Americas. 

Irazú Volcano National Park

Irazú Volcano National Park is located fairly close to the Capital city of San Jose, and as such is a popular spot for visiting a volcano. The summit has an almost moon-like appearance, with craters and gray-colored earth, in part due to the high elevations, and the crater itself contains a small lake with green-colored waters. 

It’s a great spot for visiting a volcano if you’re looking for something close to San Jose.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is located along the Pacific coast and is well-known for its beautiful beaches and pristine forests. The park itself has a relatively small overall area, only about 3 square miles, but in that space, it has 4 wonderful beaches, jungle trails, and tons of interesting animals. 

Poás Volcano National Park

Poás Volcano is the largest active volcano crater in the world. Aside from that already impressive feat, It has a large hot lake in its crater that never stops bubbling and steaming, and occasionally becomes a geyser, shooting hot water over 800 feet into the air! 

While the main viewing platform remains open, the visitor’s center and museum have been closed since an eruption in 2017 forced an evacuation of the entire area. 

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park is located within the Guanacaste Conservation Area in the north and is home to some absolutely beautiful dry tropical forests. However, the main draw to the park is the mud pots that can be found there! 

Tenorio Volcano National Park

Tenorio Volcano National Park is home to yet another volcano, but the real draw in the area is the Rio Celeste waterfall, which is known for its brilliant blue color. It is said that the Rio Celeste is where God cleaned off His paintbrush after painting the sky, and it is not difficult to see why.

Apart from the waterfall trail itself, there are a number of great hiking trails in the area where you can explore the amazing landscapes of the area. 

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park is one of the more difficult to reach parks in Costa Rica, but for turtle fans, it can be well worth it! Tortuguero is known for being a sea turtle nesting ground, and if you come during the right season it is not uncommon to spot these wonderful creatures. 

Tortuguero is located on the Caribbean coast of the country.

Other Great Field Trips in Costa Rica

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Sanctuary

Proyecto Asis is a wonderful wildlife sanctuary that works to rehabilitate and release wild animals back into their natural habitat. They offer shorter tours to teach a bit about the animals they rescue and the road to rehabilitation, but they also have some longer “volunteering” tours where guests get to help prepare food for the animals and watch as they eat it!

Read more about it here!

Bogarin Sloth Trail

Bogarin Sloth Trail is a wildlife trail just outside of La Fortuna where you can spot all sorts of wildlife, from toucans and owls to colorful poison dart frogs, to (you guessed it) sloths! 

The owner is a super personable guy who really loves nature and wants to share that love with his guests. 

Read more about it here!

Rio Peñas River Float Trip

Jacamar tours offers this amazing float trip down the Rio Peñas river outside of La Fortuna. It offers some amazing views of local fauna from the comfort of an inflatable raft. The trees that hang over the river have plenty of wildlife in them, and guests regularly discover both two-toed and three-toed sloths, three different species of monkeys, and tons of other interesting animals!

Monteverde Cloud Forest 

Cloud forests are essentially higher altitude rainforests that are often engulfed in clouds. Monteverde is one of the most famous examples of a cloud forest in the entire world, which makes it an excellent place to learn more about the plants and wildlife that make up this unique biome. 

Places like Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve offer some amazing trails through the cloud forest, with great views, waterfalls, and the possibility of some animal sightings. 

Read more about it here!

Playa Esterillos Mermaid Beach

With so many great jungle locations, it can be hard to remember that Costa Rica is also known for its amazing beaches! 

Playa Esterillos is one such beach that has a little extra lore added to the mix. Just off the coast of Playa Esterillos Oeste, there is a statue of a mermaid looking out to sea. The legend goes that a local innkeeper had the statue commissioned after seeing a real mermaid sitting in that exact spot! 

Whether you believe the story or not, it can be a fun place to visit, with shallow tide pools near the statue, plenty of sand for beach sports, and good surfing nearby, for those who want the adventure. 

Coffee Plantation Tours

Costa Rica is known the world over for its amazing coffee. That is in no small part due to the country’s 43,000+ coffee farmers spread all across the country! 

My family loves taking agricultural tours, and coffee farms are always worth a visit! Interestingly, Starbucks itself has a coffee farm in the country, called Hacienda Alsacia, located not far from Volcano Poás in Alajuela province. It is definitely worth a look if you’re at all interested in the journey your coffee takes to get to your cup!

Cooking Lessons

Cooking lessons are one of those things that my family loves to do no matter what country we’re visiting, and Costa Rica has some great options for classes. While you can find lessons online easily enough, it can be a good idea to go through a program that you know you can trust.