Welcome to Costa Rica!
Costa Rica is officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica. The country’s name is translated into English as “Rich Coast.” Costa Rica is bordered on the north by Nicaragua and by Panama on the east and south. The east and west borders are coastal, as the country lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Costa Rica is the only Latin American country included in the list of the world’s 22 oldest democracies. Historically, Costa Rica has generally enjoyed greater peace and more consistent political stability compared with many of its fellow Latin American nations. Costa Rica is among the top Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index, and ranked 54th in the world in 2007. The country is also ranked third in the world, and first among the Americas in terms of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.
The climate is tropical year round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and the geography of each particular region. Costa Rica’s seasons are defined by how much it rains during a particular period and not by the typical four seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.
Costa Rica has an estimated population of 4,640,000. Whites and mestizos (mixed European and American Indian descent) make up 94% of the population.
Christianity is the predominant religion, and Roman Catholicism is the official state religion according to the 1949 Constitution, which at the same time guarantees freedom of religion.
The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Spanish.
