Guide to Costa Rica

Location: Central America, surrounded by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Population: 4.3 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: San Jose
Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq miles)
Major languages: Spanish (official), English
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Costa Rican colon = 100 centimos
Main exports: Coffee, bananas, sugar, textiles, electronic components, electricity
GNI per capita: US$4,670 (World Bank, 2005)
Internet domain: .cr
International dialling code: +506
Climate: Year round sun with naturally occurring breezes, cooling down most of the coastal areas
Temperature: The average annual temperatures range from 31.7°C (89°F) on the coast to 16.7°C (62°F) inland. The rainy or green season lasts from May to December with noticeably drier days during the rest of the year.

www.visitcostarica.com

Highlights
Corcovado National Park
Arenal (one of the most active volcanoes in the world)
Tortuguero National Park (one of the largest remaining areas of tropical rainforest in Central America)

Covering only 0.03% of the surface of our planet, Costa Rica has approximately 6% of the world's biodiversity.

Geography
Rugged highlands are found throughout most of the country, ranging from approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level). The Guanacaste Mountain Range, Central Mountain Range, and Talamanca Mountain Range are the main mountain ranges extending the entire length of the country. There are several active volcanoes (Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and Turrialba Volcano) and the country’s highest mountain (Chirripo Hill) with a height of 3,819 m/12,530 ft. The country has a relatively long coastline in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as a number of rivers and streams that attract specialist kayakers and rafters from all over the world.

10 October 2007