Category:[world] [WORLD] [America]


Costa Rica Geography

This Central American country lies between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Its area slightly exceeds that of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. It has a narrow Pacific coastal region. Cocos Island (10 sq mi; 26 sq km), about 300 mi (483 km) off the Pacific Coast, is under Costa Rican sovereignty.

History

Costa Rica was inhabited by an estimated 400,000 Indians when Columbus explored it in 1502. The Spanish conquest began in 1524. The region grew slowly and was administered as a Spanish province. Costa Rica achieved independence in 1821.

In the 1970s, rising oil prices, falling international commodity prices, and inflation hurt the economy. Efforts have since been made to reduce reliance on coffee, banana, and beef exports. Tourism is now a major business. Oscar Arias Sanchez, who became president in 1986, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his role in negotiating settlements to both the Nicaraguan and the Salvadoran civil wars.

In 2006, Oscar Arias Sanchez was elected president. Arias, who had served as president once before (1986-1990), won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for fostering peace talks that eventually ended the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Full Name:
Republic of Costa Rica

Capital City:
San Jose

Area:
51,100 sq km
19,730 sq miles

Population:
Over 4 million

Time Zone:
GMT/UTC -6 

Languages
Spanish (official)
English (other)

Religion
75% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant, 11% other

Currency
Costa Rican Colon (¡é)

Electricity
120V 60HzHz

Electric Plug Details
American-style plug with two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin
Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades

Country Dialing Code
506

Facts about Costa Rica(Over)
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