Costa Rica

Geography

Located in Central America, Costa Rica (Spanish for "Rich Coast") is bordered by the countries of Nicaragua and Panama; the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea also border. The nation is also on the Central American isthmus, 10 north of the equator and 84 west of the Prime Meridian. Its highest point is Cerro Chirripo at 12,500 ft above sea level. Part of Costa Rica's territory consists of islands including Cocos Islands and its largest, Cerro Island. Only 0.7% of its territory claims water but its one major body of water is Lake Arenal. The country is highly recognized and praised for its national park system: a developed and progressive system which stresses ecotourism. Costa Rica protects over 25% of its national territory within national parks.

Culture

Strong influences of Spanish culture remain in Costa Rica, as can be seen in their foods, dance, music, and language. Their spoken accent is rather closer to certain areas of Colombia than its Central American counterparts although their language is standard American Spanish, although they use vos rather than t. Costa Ricans have been long called Ticos by people from other countries who find certain Costa Rican diminutives funny. Like in many Western nations, education is important in Costa Rica; elementary, middle-school and high-school levels are free and mandatory for all citizens. Costa Rican music includes a rhythm known as tambito as well a distinctive musical genre known as punto although rock music has become increasingly more popular.

Religion

While Catholicism is the official religion in Costa Rica, few natives follow the doctrine whole-heartedly. There are even a few groups who practice a mixture of Catholicism, occultism, and traditions of their African/Indian ancestry.

History

The ancient history of Costa Rica held many Mesopotamian and Andean peoples, and later the Mayan and Aztec cultures, up until the 16th century when Spain invaded. Costa Rica was then the southernmost province in the Spanish territory of New Spain within the Captaincy General of Guatemala. The provincial capital was in Cartago. After briefly joining the Mexican Empire of Agustn de Iturbide, Costa Rica became a state in the United Provinces of Central America from 1823 to 1839. In 1824, the capital moved to San Jos. From the 1840s on, Costa Rica was an independent nation. Costa Rica has avoided the violence that has plagued Central America; it is seen as an example of political stability in the region, and is referred to as the "Switzerland of the Americas". Since the late 19th century only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. In 1949, Jos Figueres Ferrer abolished the army; and since then Costa Rica has been one of the few countries to operate within the democratic system without the assistance of a military. Although still a largely agricultural country, Costa Rica has achieved a relatively high standard of living. Land ownership is widespread and Electronics is a rapidly expanding industry.

Economy

Costa Rica's economy has largely been based on agriculture including the production of coffee, bananas, pineapples, and ornamentals, but in recently ecotourism, electronics, pharmaceutics, financial outsourcing and software development have become the prime industries. The economy has been expanding for Costa Rica in part because the government had implemented a seven year plan of expansion in the high tech industry. Several global high tech corporations have already started developing in the area exporting goods including chip manufacturer Intel and pharmaceutical companies such as Procter & Gamble and Glaxo Smith Kline.

For the fiscal year 2005 the country showed a government deficit of 2.1%, internal revenue increased an 18%, exports increased a 12.8% and the number of visiting tourists increased a 19%, reaching 1.5 million people. Economic growth stood at 4.2%; nevertheless the country faced high inflation (14%) and a trade deficit of 5.2%. Costa Rica's currency is the colon (approximately 500 to the dollar).

Study Abroad

• Ecology of the Rainforest (CIEE)
• ISEP-Direct Costa Rica
• Field Study in Costa Rican Agriculture
• ISEP Butler - Costa Rica
• Rutgers Study Abroad - Costa Rica
• Learn and Study Spanish In Costa Rica
• Costa Rica Summer at Universidad Veritas
• USAC - Costa Rica Summer
• API Costa Rica
• CEA Study Abroad Costa Rica