Costa Rica
Capital: San Jose
Size: About 19,730 square miles (51,100 sq km).
Language: Spanish
Currency: Costa Rican colon
Capital population: San Jose has about 340,000 people (over 2 million in the metro area).
Population: About 5.2 million people.See the biggest cities →National animal: Clay-colored Thrush (the national bird, called the yiguirro)
National flower: Guaria Morada (a purple orchid)
Climate
Warm and tropical, with a green rainy season and a sunny dry season. The coasts are hot while the central mountains stay cool. Average highs are about 75F to 90F (24C to 32C).
Main industries
Eco-tourism, coffee, bananas, and pineapples, plus medical devices and computer parts.
Top places for tourists
Green rainforests full of wildlife, the Arenal Volcano, and long beaches on two oceans.
Places of interest
The cloud forests of Monteverde, the sea turtles of Tortuguero, and hanging bridges high in the treetops.
A little history
A Spanish colony for 300 years, Costa Rica became independent in 1821 and later chose to have no army, spending that money on schools instead.
Fun fact
People say pura vida, which means pure life, as a friendly hello, goodbye, and thank you. Costa Rica has no army at all.