The Republic of Costa Rica, bordered by Nicaragua at the north, Panama at the southeast, the Pacific Ocean at the southwest and the Caribbean Sea at the east. According to the 2010 Environmental Performance Index, Costa Rica is ranked first among the Americas and third in the world.
Eco-Tourism
The Central American nation has ambitions to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021. According to the New Economics Foundation, Costa Rica ranks first in the Happy Planet Index and is the “greenest” country in the world.
Friendly, peaceful and progressive, the rich coast is one of the world’s top eco-tourism destinations. With almost a quarter of the country either a national park or a protected area, opportunities to explore natural wonders are abundant.
The Central America’s most-visited nation also offers great surfing, amazing beaches at Tamarindo and the spectacularly active Arenal volcano.
Language
The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Spanish. English is understood better in the hotels, airline offices and tourist agencies.
Weather
With a diverse and varied climate, Costa Rica can be divided into several climatic zones, each being distinct and individual. Though generally classified as a tropical country due to its close proximity to the equator, Costa Rica has no real winter and the sun shines here throughout the year. With over 12 hours of sunshine a day, the sun rises at about 5am and sets at about 6pm constantly throughout the year.
The main reason for the diversity in Costa Rica’s weather is the various elevations at which different parts of the country are located. In Costa Rica, the average annual temperature is around 21 to 27 degrees Celsius and the coolest months of the year are November, December and January. The months of March through May are the hottest months of the year. With trade winds keeping the weather hot and humid most of the year, there is no real dry season and it rains very often.
| General | |
| Language | Spanish, English |
| Time Zone | CTZ(UTC -6) |
| Dialing Code | +506 |
| Electricity | 120V, 60Hz |
| Major Cities | Tamarindo, Drake bay, Jaco, La Fortuna, San Jose |
| Currency | Costa Rican colon |
| Clothing | Away from the touristy beaches, clothing is generally conservative. |
| Health Related | |
| Mortality Rate | 4.29 deaths/ 1,000 population |
| Life Expectancy | M 77/ F 82 |
| Hospitals JCI accredited | 3 |
| Recommended Vaccinations | Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria-tetanus, Measles, Varicella |
| Other Infections | Chagas disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Tick-borne relapsing fever, HIV |
| Tourism Related | |
| Population | 4,253,897 |
| Global Competitiveness | 4.31 |
| Tourism Competitiveness | 4.4/7 |
| GDP/Capita | 10,579 |
| Health and Hygiene | 4.6/7 |
| Safety and Security | 5.1/7 |
| Air Transport Infrastructure | 3.9/7 |
| Tourism Infrastructure | 4.5/7 |
| Cultural Infrastructure | 1.8/7 |
| Visa Requirements | 12/133 |
| Reliability of Police Services | 84/133 |
| Physician Density | 75/133 |
| Hospital Beds | 95/133 |
| Quality of Air Transport Infrastructure | 58/133 |
| International Air Transport Network | 45/133 |
| Quality of Roads | 118/133 |
| Hotel Rooms | 29/133 |
| Tourism Openness | 24/133 |
| Attitude of Population Towards Foreign Visitors | 31/133 |