Costa Rica
Background on the "Rich Coast"
Costa Rica was first found and named by Christopher Columbus in 1502. The first true settlement was created by the Spanish in 1564, and it later became its own democratic nation after the creation of their constitution. Their capital city today is San Jose in the center of the country. The people of Costa Rica speak mainly Spanish, due to the mostly Spanish descent Additionally, the main religion of the country is Roman Catholic, however, there is freedom of religion allowing for Prodescents and Quakers to practice as well. The economy of agriculture of Costa Rica is quite prosperous, and has the capacity to feed itself, however, the country does dedicate much land to exports. These exports include but are not limited to sugar, coffee, bananas, pineapple, cut flowers, herbs, fish, beef, and macadamia nuts. They mainly trade with the United States and China. Their main food imports include corn and beans from the United States as well.¹
The country is bound by Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the South, the Pacific Ocean to the West, and the Atlantic Ocean to the East. There are two mountain ranges within Costa Rica which help to create the abundant rains and wet season and keep the climate between 59 and 80 degrees fahrenheit. This weather allows for a large variety of plant and animal life. The country contains dense forests of mahogany and tropical cedar, palm trees, mangroves, and tropical plants. They also contain animal life native to both North and South America, such as foxes and deer, as well as tropical birds, reptiles, and exotic frogs. The vast variety in nature allows Costa Rica to headquarter many research stations for tropical biologies from around the world. The country did suffer from deforestation through the 20th century, but it has recently been stopped.¹
- Elbow, G., Karnes, T., Parker, F., & Stansifer, C. (2020). Costa Rica. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica
Website Authors: Gracie Endres & Genevieve Palazzolo
