Heritage and culture

 

Heritage and culture

Costa Rican culture is in many ways a reflection of its racial diversity. The predominant influence has long been European, which is reflected in everything from the official language -- Spanish -- to the architecture of the country's churches and other historic buildings. The indigenous influence is less visible, but can be found in everything from the tortillas that are a staple of the Costa Rican diet, to the handmade ceramics sold at roadside stands.

An important aspect of Costa Rica's cultural legacy is our love for peace and democracy. The Ticos proudly point out the nation is one of the few Latin American countries where a military dictatorship has not dominated politics.

The Ticos

Costa Ricans are proud to have more than a century of democratic tradition and more than 68 years without a military. With the money saved, the country is better able to focus on improving the quality of life of its citizens. This is one of the many reasons why Costa Ricans, also known as “Ticos,” are such a happy and welcoming people.

Famous for their hospitality, Ticos often go out of their way to help to visitors with directions or offer other assistance if needed. It is said that “Ticos” are the nation’s best asset. Once visitors experience their hospitality, visitors too are convinced.

Government

The political system is represented by three powers, which are The Executive Power, the Legislative Power and the Judicial Power. The Elections Supreme Court is considered the fourth power of the Republic. Every four years national elections are carried out. Among other positions of popular representation, the President of the Republic is elected through direct representation by secret ballot.

Capital city: San José.

Country area: 51,100 km2 (19,730 square miles).

General information

General Information

Costa Rica is located in Central America, connecting North and South America. It borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Because of its location, warm weather predominates, but many different microclimates are found throughout the country. According to the National Statistics and Census Institute, Costa Rica has a population of approximately 4,890,379, of which 2,467,829 are men and 2,422,551 are women.

The country is divided into seven provinces (San José, its capital, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Puntarenas, Guanacaste and Limón), 81 cantons and 463 districts. It stretches across 51,100 square kilometers, which is the size of the country. It is a democratic, free and independent Republic. Most of the population professes the Catholic religion and enjoys freedom of religion. Its currency is the colón, and its official language is Spanish.

One of the most important and recognized characteristics of the country was the abolition of its army on Dec. 1, 1948 by former President José Figueres Ferrer. On that date, peace became one of the main principles of Costa Rica, differentiating it from other Central American countries that utilize the military as a method of defense.

Costa Rica has national patriotic symbols that represent part of the identity and traditions of Costa Ricans, particularly the National Anthem of Costa Rica, the Shield of the Republic of Costa Rica, the National Flag, the White-Tailed Deer, the Guaria Morada (a type of orchid that is the national flower), Marimba, Oxcarts, the Yigüirro (or clay-colored thrush, the national bird), the Guanacaste Tree, The Pre-Columbian Spheres of Diquís, the manatee, the Torch of Independence and the Crestones of Chirripó National Park.

Official language:

Spanish. A large portion of the population speaks English as a second language.

Official religion:

Roman Catholic; complete freedom of religion.

Official currency:

Costa Rican Colón (plural colones) (¢)

Administrative divisions:

Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces: San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and Limón. Each province is divided into cantons, which are further subdivided into districts.

The country’s marine territory consists of the Isla del Coco, a World Natural Heritage site, located 548 km from Cabo Blanco, in the Pacific Ocean. It has a land area of 2,400 hectares and a marine territory of 73,100 hectares.

National symbols:

• The guaria morada: The guaria morada (Cattleya skinneri), a species of orchid, was declared the national flower of Costa Rica on July 15, 1939.
• National flag: The national flag of Costa Rica. Under Decree no. 768 of October 25, 1949, National Flag Day (Día del Pabellón Nacional) is celebrated on November 12th of each year. The National Flag of the Republic is a tricolor with five horizontal bands: a red band in the center between two bands of white, each of which is followed by a blue band. The width of each band is one-sixth of the total width of the flag, with the red band in the center taking up two-sixths of the width. The coat of arms must be placed in the center of the red band on a white background.
• Guanacaste tree: Enterolobium cyclocarpum. On August 31, 1959, it was declared as the national tree of Costa Rica.
• Coat of arms of Costa Rica: The Coat of Arms shows three volcanoes and a wide valley between two oceans, with a merchant ship in each ocean. A rising sun is shown on the far left of the upper line, which marks the horizon. The crest is closed by two palm fronds that are united by a wide, white sash bearing golden letters that spell out “República de Costa Rica”.
• Clay-colored thrush: The clay-colored thush (or yigüirro) was declared the national bird of Costa Rica in 1977 in the interest of the protection of this and other bird species in the country.
• The traditional ox-cart: The ox-cart, or carreta, was declared a national symbol of labor in 1988. While they are no longer used to transport coffee, the colorful paint and the original designs made by artisans have made them famous around the world.
• The national anthem: declared a national symbol on June 15, 1949 by Decree no. 551. The music was written in 1852 by the poet Manuel María Gutiérrez and the lyrics were written by José María Zeledón.
• The white-tailed deer: in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 7497, it has been the national symbol of Costa Rican wildlife since June 8, 1995.
• The Marimba: declared the national instrument par excellence by Executive Order No. 25114-C on September 3, 1996. It is considered to be the musical instrument that is associated with the most diverse popular festivals in Costa Rica.
• The Torch of Independence: declared a national symbol on September 14, 2005 by Decree No. 32647-C. Since 1964, the torch tours Central America as a representation of the freedom and independence of Central American peoples.
• The Crestones of Chirripó National Park: Declared a national symbol by Law 8943, published in the Official Journal La Gaceta No. 170 on September 5, 2011. The Costa Rican Tourism Board has been authorized to promote them as a tourist attraction in Chirripó National Park.
• The manatee: was declared a symbol of Costa Rica’s marine fauna and of the hope and interest of Costa Rican children in protecting natural resources contained in the national territory by Law no. 9264 of August 7, 2014, published in the Official Journal La Gaceta no. 183 on September 24, 2014.
• Pre-Columbian Spheres: In 2014, UNESCO chose the Diquís grouping of villages belonging to pre-Columbian chieftainships with stone spheres as a World Heritage Site. The Costa Rican Legislative Assembly declared them to be a national symbol of the country following the approval of Law no. 9265 of August 11, 2014, published in the Official Journal La Gaceta no. 201 on October 20, 2014. Archeologists believe that the stones were placed there by the indigenous peoples of the area between 300 B.C. and 300 A.D., though the sculptures have not yet been able to be scientifically dated.
• The National Theater: On February 5 of this year, the then-President of the Republic, Luis Guillermo Solís, signed the law declaring the National Theater of Costa Rica as a National Symbol of Historical Archeological Heritage and Cultural Liberty. The law was approved in a second reading by 40 deputies.

Main distances:

• 246 km (153 mi) by land from Puntarenas to Limón.
• 534 km (337 mi) by land from Peñas Blancas, at the Nicaraguan border, to Paso Canoas, at the border with Panama.
• Highest point: Cerro Chirripó, at 3,819 meters (12,529 feet) above sea level.
• Highest volcano: Volcán Irazú.
• Largest volcanic crater: Volcán Poás crater, with a diameter of 1,320 m (43,307 ft) and a depth of 300 m (984 ft).

Electric coverage:

97% of the national territory has electric power. Residential voltage is 110V.

Office hours

Public sector: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. State banks: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Private sector

Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The majority of businesses operate on Saturdays and Sundays until midday.

About Costa Rica

 About Costa Rica 

Knowing about Costa Rica before you go!

Costa Rica is a country in Central America that is ranked as one of the most visited international destinations. One of Costa Rica’s main sources of income is tourism. Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country and it has not had an army since the year 1948.

Although the country is small and it covers only 0.03 percent of the surface of the globe, it proudly shelters 5 percent of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. Twenty six percent of the country is composed of conservation and natural protected territory.

Furthermore, 2018 has become a magnet for meeting tourism with the opening of the National Congress and Convention Center (CNCC), which can welcome some 4,600 people to its meetings.
Located eight kilometers from the Juan Santamaría International Airport and just 10 kilometers from San José, the new space will bring together people from different backgrounds and cultures to exchange experiences and new businesses.

Costa Rica is also an attractive country for investment and offers great potential for the establishment of important multinational companies, thanks to the outstanding academic level of its population, as well as the high standard of modern services and social and political stability.