Costa Rica Facts – How This Little Nation is Becoming a Green Giant
Costa Rica Facts – The Country
Costa Rica is a small country in Central America, but it is part of the North American Continent. It is approximately the size of the combined States of Vermont and New Hampshire. The official name is The Republic of Costa Rica, or Republica de Costa Rica in Spanish.
Costa Rica is a mountainous slice of land that sits between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The Country of Nicaragua is on the northern border of Costa Rica, and Panama borders the country to the south.
Both Costa Rican coastlines boast beautiful beaches that make this a haven for tourists from all over the world. Costa Ricans, however, mostly live in the central plateau that makes up the middle of the country. The capital city of San Jose is located in this region, which is also home to volcanoes and tropics.
The Country of Costa Rica is a Democratic Republic, and it is the most stable and prosperous country in Central America. Costa Rica has long been a successful democracy, and their strength stands out amid the turmoil that plagues many of the surrounding nations. Costa Rica is the only Central American country with no standing army. They are a peaceful land, which has helped to make tourism the top money-making industry in the land.
Costa Rica Facts – The People
The population of Costa Rica is approximately 4.3 million people, and the most common ethnicity found in the country is Costa Rican. The official language is Spanish, although both English and French are also spoken. More than three quarters of the Costa Rican population are Catholic.
Costa Rica Facts – The Environment
Along with its mountains and beaches, Costa Rica is home to rain forest as well, and a quarter of the land in this country has been declared protected. The leaders of Costa Rica have recently made a public “green pledge” and vowed to become one of the world’s first carbon-neutral nations.
The country faces some problems with achieving this goal, a major one of which is the overdevelopment that comes with the tourist trade. Many formerly quiet beach towns along the country’s Pacific Coast have seen huge growth over the past several years as word has gotten out about the beauty found in this small Central American country.
On the plus side, Costa Rica is already on their way to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as more than 80 percent of their energy already comes from sources like water and wind, that are easily renewable. Besides that, Costa Rica is redefining its image as an eco-friendly tourist destination which makes it possible for them to keep their economy growing while they work toward conserving their environment.