Costa Rica
Fascinating natural parks and dense jungles, bubbling volcanoes and breathtaking vegetation. The tropical paradise is bounded on the east by the Atlantic, on the west by the Pacific. Panama borders Costa Rica to the south and Nicaragua to the north. The peaks of the volcanic-strewn Cordilleras inland reach up to 3800 meters.
Country and people
San José is the capital city of the country with its 4.7 million inhabitants. Colloquially, the inhabitants are called Ticos and Ticas. About 90% are white descendants of the Spaniards, minorities are mestizos, Asians and mulattos. About 60% of Costa Ricans live in cities. Two-thirds of the country's population live in the climatically-privileged highlands, with settlements centered on the Valle Central, with the important cities of San José, Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela. Important coastal cities are on the Caribbean coast Puerto Limón and on the Pacific coast Puntarenas. Liberia is the economic center of the Guanacaste region, where there is another international airport besides San José.
The Ticos are very friendly and relaxed people, which always has the well-being of its guests in mind. Helpful and open, they meet the stranger and enjoy honest interest, a few words of Spanish and a respectful use of all resources. The Ticos have recognized that the true treasure of the land is the protected flora and fauna.
Flora and fauna
Costa Rica has a very high biological diversity of plants and animals as well as landscape forms. With 51,100 square kilometers of land and 589,000 square kilometers of territorial waters, Costa Rica is one of the 20 richest biodiversity countries in the world.
There are many active and extinct volcanoes. The most frequented volcanoes are Volcán Poás at 2704 meters, Arenal at 1633 meters and Irazú at 3432 meters. The Chirripó Grande is at 3820 meters the highest mountain in the country
On the Caribbean coast is the Cahuita National Park with birds, snakes, lizards, butterflies, agoutis, sloths, howler monkeys and much more. The coastal road towards Manzanillo partly lines dense forest. There are 26 national parks in total, including the Marine National Parks. Depending on the climatic zone, the National Parks host a wealth of plant and animal species, including ferns, orchids, palm trees, creepers, giant trees, bromeliads and countless other species of plants, mosses and trees. Amateur and professional photographers and nature lovers will get their money's worth here.
Source: Wikipedia
