Costa Rica is one of many bio-diverse countries in the world. This small Central American country is known as a peaceful country and the home of “Pura Vida”. With its diverse wildlife and fascinating culture, there are many fun facts about Costa Rica that makes it an interesting destination.
Common Facts About Costa Rica
Officially the “Republic of Costa Rica”. It is one of many countries in the Americas with a Spanish heritage. It sits in the Central American region of North America with an approximate population of 5.2 million.
Costa Rica is known for many things including its rainforest, large coastlines, and some active volcanoes. It is also one of the few countries on the continent with pristine beaches and deep history. Here are some interesting facts about Costa Rica that reflects the country’s heritage and culture.
Historical Facts On Costa Rica
Costa Rica Is Over 1000 Years
Based on historians, the indigenous people of Costa Rica belong to the intermediate area where certain Mesoamerican and Andean overlapped.
There is much evidence of human habitation in Costa Rica with the oldest being the stone tools. These tools were associated with hunter-gathers who arrived in the area around at least 7000 years BCE.
5000 years ago agriculture became a staple occupation for the Costa Rica inhabitants with their major products being roots and tubers.
Despite this long history and stunning fact about Costa Rica, the country is said to lack a strong native civilization. Because of that, the influence of the indigenous people on modern Costa Rica is not so significant.
Costa Rica As A “Rich Coast”
Direct Spanish translation of Costa Rica means “Rich Coast”. History suggests that Christopher Columbus who is credited as the father of many Latin American countries also discovered Costa Rica.
He discovered this Central American country as far back as 1502. At the time he had the belief that the region was filled with precious metals hence the name ‘rich coast’.
Independence In Costa Rica
It’s no secret that Costa Rica like many Central American countries has a Spanish heritage. But an important fact about Costa Rica is that it gained independence in 1821.
The interesting part is that, unlike other Latin American countries, Costa Rica did not fight against Spain to gain independence.
The special independence of Costa Rica came after the Mexican war of independence defeated Spain. Although independence came in 1821, it was only in 1838 that Costa Rica became fully sovereign.
The National Flag
One fun fact about Costa Rica that you will observe in the surroundings is that art is part of their culture. And it speaks to everything including their flag.
Inspired by the French flag, Costa Rica’s flag was designed in 1848 with three colors and four horizontal lines.
Every color represents something significant about Costa Rica. The blue represents the sky while the white and red represent peace, and the blood and strength of the people respectively.
No Standing Military For Over 70 years
For over 70 years they don’t have a standing military. Up until this moment, there is no standing military in Costa Rica.
The bill was signed into law in 1949, under the Presidency of Jose Figueres Ferrer. At the time Costa Rica became one of 23 countries who don’t have a standing military. Although they have a large pool of police force.
In case of serious crisis, they signed a pack with The U.S. which provides them with assistance. Here is another interesting Costa Rica fact that you may not know, it is a country of peace. Since 1980, it has housed the United Nations University For Peace to date.
Fun Facts About Costa Rica For Tourists
The Beautiful Nature Of Cerro Chirripó
Cerro Chirripó which translates as “Land of Eternal Waters”, is the highest point in Costa Rica. This mountain is surrounded by lakes and streams which made the native Americans give it the name “Cerro Chirripó”.
The mountain has an estimated elevation of about 3821 meters above sea level. At the peak, you can see the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean sea to the east.
The temperature at the top of the mountain reads around 10-12° C during the day while at night it falls below freezing point. Agustin Blessing Presinger became the first person to climb the mountain in 1904.
Although to climb the mountain now, you need to obtain a permit from the National Park office at San Gerardo de Rivas.
Costa Ricans Love Art
Costa Ricans love colorful art. When you walk around the cities, you always get a glimpse of artifacts or paintings which captures the heart.
One fun fact about Costa Rica is that this beautiful Central American nation breathes art and this is evident in its currency. While they accept the dollar, the colon is the main currency in Costa Rica.
The Colon is a currency worth beholding. Every colon denomination is an expression of different animals and natural habitats of Costa Rica.
It Is An Extremely Bio-diverse Country
An exciting fact about Costa Rica for nature enthusiasts is that it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Costa Rica plays home to over 500,000 wildlife species. A large fraction of these species are classified as rare and endangered.
The country holds a flare for adventure. You can start your exploration by catching a glimpse of most of these animals in their habitats or for safety reasons in parks and zoos.
Enjoy The Stunning Beaches In Costa Rica
Here’s a fun fact for kids about Costa Rica, vacation promises to be fun. As a country with a large coastline of about 800 miles, there’s always a cool spot to relax on the beach.
There are many beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, and some of the best beaches are in secluded areas. To find the hidden gems, make sure to pick the brains of locals or tour guides, they know the best spots.
Active Volcanoes In Costa Rica
This is one of the cool facts about Costa Rica that attracts millions of tourists each year. It is home to 5 active volcanoes.
This small Central American country is on the Pacific Ring Fire Circle. Although there are over 180 volcanic formations and at leave 100 of which show signs of activity only 5 are classed as active.
If you’re an adventurer lover well you can hike your way around some of these volcanoes. For conservatives, you can cautiously go sightseeing through some of the lava flows. Ensure you have a tour guide around to avoid any avoidable dangers.
Cultural Fun Facts On Costa Rica
The Best Fiestas In Costa Rica
Like many countries in the Americas Costa Rica host several festivals and carnivals all year round. One obvious cultural fact about Costa Rica is that they love their fiestas.
Costa Ricans love spreading joy and one avenue where they get to express themselves is through the fiestas. Bull riding competitions and carnival games are some of the highlights of the fiesta.
Many locals display different skills by entering the ring and teasing the bulls to keep the watching crow excited. When you visit Costa Rica, you can watch and enjoy some of the fiestas they have on show. You can bet it will be a very memorable and cultural experience.
Gallo Pinto The National Breakfast
One thing that cannot be taken away from Costa Rican diet is rice and beans. One Costa Rican food fact is that rice and beans are the basic components.
The Gallo pinto is the king of Costa Rican food. The Gallo pinto means “spotted rooster”. Ironically it refers to a delicacy of rice and black beans which is the typical Costa Rican breakfast.
Pura Vida
This phrase is common among Costa Ricans it is part of the culture in Costa Rica. “Pura Vida” means Pure life.
Pura vida to Costa Ricans mean more than just a slang. It’s a form of greeting more like saying “hello, how are you? And goodbye”.
It is also a lifestyle or outlook of life that is calm, and peaceful. Costa Rica is also the origin of the famous ’Pura Vida Bracelets”.
Tico And Ticas
Don’t be surprised when you hear Costa Rica natives refer to themselves as tico and ticas. It is part of the culture in Costa Rica. The men are called Ticos while the women are called Ticas, Tico is used as a way of generalizing both males and females. Just like “Pura Vida”, it is an everyday term in Costa Rica.
The Tico tend to turn words into diminutives like “chiquitico” compared to other Spanish countries who use “chiqutito”. The diminutives do not always end with Tico as Chiquitico refers to men and chiquitica refers to females.
Costa Ricans Love Coffee
One interesting fact about Costa Rica culture is the status of coffee. Like rice and beans, coffee is a solid pillar in Costa Rican culture. Coffee lovers will no doubt enjoy a trip diving into Costa Rica’s coffee scene.
In the 20th century, the coffee industry was a major economic driver in Costa Rica.As other countries have “oil barons”, Costa Rica had “coffee barons”. It was that lucrative.
Costa Rica is among the top 15 exporters of coffee in the world. Their coffee production is top-notch as producing anything below 100% in Costa Rica is frowned upon.
Other Interesting Facts About Costa Rica
A Relatively Centralized Country
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and it is a centralized location. It is a modern cosmopolitan city.
The total population of Costa Rica is about 5.2 million and at least 40% of the population resides in San Jose. While many residents live in cities around San Jose.
One Of The Happiest Countries In The World
Costa Rica has an exceptional life expectancy. The government’s deliberate investment in Education and the well-being of its citizens makes this a less surprising fact about Costa Rica.
There is not widely known that Costa Rica is one of the happiest countries in the world, as the Nordic countries are more synonymous with that reputation. However, when you visit Costa Rica it is natural for you to feel happiness as most Costa Ricans are always putting on a smile.
Although the top spot currently belongs to Finland, Costa Rica was top in 2012 and is currently not far from the top of this list.
Eco-friendly Costa Rica
Here’s one beautiful and interesting fact about Costa Rica. Fitting into its biodiverse image, it is also an environmentally friendly nation. Costa Rica is one of the countries which generate a larger percentage of their energy from renewable sources.
As of 2016, at least 98% of all the energy consumed by Costa Ricans is generated from renewable sources. Costa Rica hopes to be a zero-carbon country by 2050 and they are already making good and enviable progress towards that. It was named the greenest country in the world in 2009.
Unconventional Street Name And Directions
There are many fascinating facts about Costa Rica but this one certainly stands out when you explore the streets. They don’t use street names and postal codes like the western world. Navigating your way around the country used to be challenging before the introduction of Google maps.
Most commonly, landmarks are used as road pointers. San Jose has some signage but finding your way around other cities in the country is still a challenge.
The address always sounds like this, “200m east from the house with the yellow mural”. If your destination has this type of address you shouldn’t be surprised.
Average Wage In Costa Rica
Although it is not the richest country on the continent, Costa Rica has one of the highest wage ranges in Central America.
For general labor, you earn $2 per hour or about $16 per day. In 5 working days, a laborer can make at least $70. This is quite impressive when you consider an average Cuban earns $25-30 per month.
Education For All
The government in Costa Rica holds education in high esteem. This is evident in the country’s high literacy rate which stands at 97.86%.
In 1869 the government made education free and compulsory for Costa Ricans. The country invests heavily in the educational sector with 30% of the annual budget dedicated to primary and secondary education.
As long as you are a Costa Rican or you live there, basic education is secured.
Agriculture Is The Way
It is no surprise that Costa Rica is second only to Ecuador as the largest exporter of bananas. Costa Rica has a rich land which allows them to engage in agriculture with relative ease.
Beyond coffee and bananas, Costa Rica produces and exports pineapple, rice, sugar, potatoes, and corn to name a few. Here is a Costa Rican food fact, the land is truly blessed with good products for food.
Home For Tourist
Costa Rica stands tall as the most visited country in Central America. The population in Costa Rica is approximately 5.2 million, they have visitors over half that number visit yearly.
Every year, at least 3 million visitors arrive in Costa Rica which is impressive. A larger percentage of these tourists are from the U.S., the UK, and other European countries.
Sunrise And Sunset Same Day
Here’s an interesting fact about Costa Rica, you can watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day. Costa Rica beaches are famous for this reason as you can witness the sunrise from the horizon on the coast of the Caribbean and also watch it fall on a beach on the pacific coast, it’s a beauty to behold.
The Magical Nicoya
There are very few blue zones on the planet and luckily Costa Rica houses one of them. By definition blue zones are specific areas where it is suggested that people live to have longer lifespans than average. It is speculated that locals who live in Nicoya live for at least 90 years.
Is there anything unique that makes it special? Well, it is suggested that the water there is rich in calcium and magnesium making it suitable for the body. Also, they have organic food, fruits, good sleep, and deep faith in God.
Discovering More Fun Facts About Costa Rica
These are just some of the many facts about Costa Rica that make it an attractive destination. There is so much more to uncover about this beautiful country, its people, and its culture. For an even deeper exploration of unique Costa Rica facts, you can take a guided tour or visit the local museums for a look into the history and culture. Take a trip down and explore it for yourself!
