ABOUT COSTA RICA
Land of peace, Costa Rica is the oldest democracy in Latin America with more than 100 years of political stability.
Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus, between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is a privileged destination because of its location in the middle of the Western Hemisphere. Its varied landscapes and mild climate make this small country the perfect getaway for a spectacular vacation, to buy your second Home or organize a memorable business meeting.
Costa Rica’s economy has been constantly growing during the last 10 years; the country has signed seven trade agreements with other Latin American countries, and one trade with the United States (CAFTA), also has preferential access agreements with the European markets. This economic development has been encouraged by direct ocean access on both coastlines, easy access by road to neighboring countries, Nicaragua and Panama, as well as regular flight connections to North America, Latin America and Europe. Costa Rica has two international airports: Juan Santamaría in the capital city and Daniel Oduber in the northern city of Liberia.
Costa Rica is internationally known as a potential major electricity producer: 97% of the territory has electric power and telecommunications are available throughout the territory. In terms of health indicators, Costa Rica has the best life expectancy rate of Latin America: 78 years on average. San José, the capital city, is ranked fourth among the Latin America’s cities with the best quality of life. Ninety-five percent of Costa Ricans have access to safe drinking water.
Costa Rica attracts important investments thanks to its efficient productivity in high technology, its well-educated population and the high-quality technical education accessible in the country.
COUNTRY DETAILS
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Official name: República de Costa Rica
Official language: Spanish
Capital: San José
Independence Date: September 15, 1821 (from Spain)
President: Oscar Arias Sánchez
Area: 51,100 km²
Percentage of water: 0.7%
Population: 4.13 million
Density: 80.66/km²
Currency: Colón (CRC)
Time zone: UTC -6
Internet TLD: .cr
Calling Code: 506
