Costa Rica is one of the most stable and well-developed countries in Central America. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the tropical lowlands of the Caribbean coast. In between these coasts is a chain of mountains and volcanoes: the highest reach over 3350 m (11,000 ft). A valley in this upland region, the Meseta Central, is the most heavily populated part of the country. The hot, humid lowlands of Costa Rica are home to some of the world’s richest and least spoiled rainforests. High in the mountains are cooler temperatures and cloud forests, where tree canopies are frequently veiled in mist.

People

Costa Rica’s population is largely mestizo: nearly all its people are descended from a mix of native Americans and Spanish settlers who arrived in the 16th century. Compared to its neighbours, Costa Rica is a relatively wealthy country. Although there is some poverty, most Costa Ricans enjoy a good standard of living. The government has invested much money in education, meaning that almost everybody can read and write. Hundreds of thousands of refugees, most of them from Nicaragua, have come to live in Costa Rica in search of a higher standard of living.

Economy

For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Costa Rica’s economy relied heavily on the export of coffee—grown on plantations in the central highlands—and bananas, grown along the southern Pacific coast. Today, these and other crops, such as pineapples, are still major exports, but manufacturing is becoming increasingly important. International computer companies, among them Intel, have factories in Costa Rica, where skilled workers assemble microprocessors for export.

Rainforest

Between 1973 and 1989, Costa Rica had one of the worst rates of deforestation in the world. Since then, it has managed to lower that rate to almost zero, and today a quarter of the country’s land area is protected by national parks and nature reserves.

​​​​​​​The government’s efforts to make Costa Rica an environmentally-friendly country have led it to become a leading site for ecotourism; over 2 million tourists visit the country each year, many of them to visit the rainforests. The challenge now faced by the government is to ensure that the rainforest plants and animals remain undisturbed from the ever-increasing numbers of visitors.

Facts about Costa Rica

Population 5,044,197 (2022 census)

Area 51,100 sq km

Highest point Cerro Chirripo 3819 m (12,526 ft)

Capital San José, population 352,381

Other major cities Limón (pop. 63,081), San Francisco (55,923), Alajuela (47,494),

Language Spanish

Religions Christian (Roman Catholic) 76%, Christian (Evangelical) 14%, other Christian 2%, others and none 8%

Ethnicity mestizo (mixed Spanish / Native American) 84%, Native American 2.5%, others 13.5%

Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Chief exports bananas, coffee, pineapples, melons, plants, sugar, beef, electronic components, medical equipment