Costa Rica

About Costa Rica

Capital

San José

Continent

Independence Date

15 September 1821

Official Language	Spanish
Second Language	English
Population	~5.4 million
Passport Color	Red
Passport Rank	#32
Dialing Code	506
Country TLD	.cr

Costa Rica Overview

Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica (Spanish: República de Costa Rica), is a beautiful Central American nation located between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The capital and largest city is San José.

Known for its progressive environmental policies, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and a global leader in eco-tourism. Around 25% of its land area is protected as national parks or reserves. The economy is driven by tourism, agriculture (coffee, bananas, pineapples), and technology exports.

Spanish is the official language, and the currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC). The country is famous for its political stability, high literacy rate, and having abolished its army in 1949, focusing instead on education and healthcare.

Quick Facts About Costa Rica

Coordinates	9.7489° N, 83.7534° W
Bordering Countries	Nicaragua, Panama; Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean coastlines
Region / Continent	Central America
Total Area	~51,100 sq km
Population Density	~100 people per sq km
Highest Point	Cerro Chirripó – 3,821 m
Major Rivers	San Juan, Reventazón, Tempisque, Térraba
Climate Type	Tropical and subtropical; dry and rainy seasons
Famous For	Biodiversity, volcanoes, beaches, eco-tourism, pura vida culture
Major Landmarks	Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park
Official Language	Spanish
Currency	Costa Rican colón (CRC)
Government Type	Unitary Presidential Constitutional Republic
Time Zone	UTC−6 (CST)
Major Exports	Medical devices, coffee, bananas, pineapples, sugar
Visitor Entry	Visa-free for many countries; eVisa available for others