General FAQ
General Facts About Costa Rica
"Pura Vida" is the country's slogan which means "Pure Life"
Costa Rica is an absolutely gorgeous and exotic country located in Central America with the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on each side. Tourism has quickly become the leading industry for Costa Rica. It offers some of the most beautiful landscapes, stunning biodiversity, and a friendly local population you could ever hope for.
Home to very rich ecosystems, Costa Rica has an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 indigenous plant and animal species. One tenth of all known bird species live in Costa Rica. Visiting Costa Rica and leaving without a trip into the rainforests is like bypassing the pyramids in Egypt! With moderate temperatures throughout the year, where the high temperature is always between 68 and 86 degrees, you can explore the stunning Costa Rican rainforests anytime.
Costa Rica is also home to some of the world’s most heavenly beaches. A favorite among surfers and sunbathers alike, many people travel from around the world to enjoy the seclusion and beauty that is found here. With warm waters year-round, its exotic “playas” offer something for everyone. The coastline stretches over 1100 miles so there’s a huge variety of beaches to see- with every type of sand, rock and shell beach you can imagine. . This place is a beach lover’s paradise!
In 1987, Costa Rican President Arias Sanchez was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for the high standard of ethics and understanding he symbolized as a representative of his people. The people of Costa Rica share in this moral standard and are reputed to be among the most educated, considerate, socially aware in the world. They also devote a good amount of time and effort to protecting their lush environment- with an estimated 25% of the entire country protected from development.
Costa Rica has been a long-standing democracy- the country has been peaceful among turbulent neighbors for a considerable amount of time. After a civil war in the 1940s, the Costa Rican people established a strong new democratic system and did away with their armed forces – which by comparison to their Latin American neighbors, is very notable. The country boasts a rich education system and the highest literacy rate in all of Latin America.
