In quest of some attention-grabbing Costa Rica info? You then’ve come to the correct place, as we share some superior info about Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a tremendous nation with so many attention-grabbing issues to know. Learn on to be taught one thing new in regards to the Central American nation!
Fascinating Info about Costa Rica
1. Costa Rica was a Spanish Colony
This can be a fairly easy, however attention-grabbing info about Costa Rica, however it’s additionally a reasonably essential one. Christopher Columbus sailed over to what turned Costa Rica in 1502. It gained independence in 1821, over 300 years later (however wasn’t totally sovereign till 1838).
2. But it surely by no means fought Spain for independence
Nope. Like different Central American states, Costa Rica didn’t really must instantly battle towards Spain to assert independence. Independence of a form got here after the Mexican Struggle of Independence defeated Spain.
3. Costa Rica doesn’t have a navy
One of the crucial attention-grabbing Costa Rica info. Following the bloody, 44-day-long Costa Rican Civil Struggle through which 2,000 folks died, the nation determined to eliminate its military in 1948. Completely. They do have police and border management, however no precise navy. That is fairly loopy when you think about that they’re bordered by Panama and Nicaragua.
4. Costa Rica means “Wealthy Coast”
When previous Chris Columbus first rocked up there, on his final voyage would possibly we add, he advised everybody that there was a ton of knickknack and gold draped on the necks and shoulders of the natives. Spanish conquistador Gil Gonzalez de Avila corroborated his tales. Due to this fact, everybody began calling it La Costa Rica – “the wealthy coast.”
5. However Costa Rica really wasn’t that wealthy to start with
There wasn’t a load of silver and gold there, so Spain left it alone (comparatively talking). There additionally wasn’t a considerable indigenous inhabitants to enslave. This meant that the Spanish and European settlers who arrived there didn’t have folks to do their soiled work for them, so that they needed to work for themselves. Because of this, Costa Rica has change into the idiosyncratic democracy everybody is aware of and loves as we speak.
6. Most of Costa Rica’s power comes from renewable sources (Considered one of my favourite Costa Rica info!)
I completely love this and it’s the most effective enjoyable info about Costa Rica. Yep, this Central American nation is tremendous environmentally pleasant. Nearly ALL of its power comes from renewable sources – a large 98.1% by 2016. They have been thought to be the greenest nation on the earth in 2009, and need to be carbon impartial by 2021. Superior.
7. Costa Ricans are loopy for espresso
One of the crucial attention-grabbing Costa Rica info is that folks love espresso! Their prime business within the twentieth century was espresso and led in the end to the aptly named “espresso barons” – kind of like oil barons, however with espresso as a substitute. This mainly led to the financial development of the nation. In the event you’re visiting attempt to hit up a espresso farm, it’s one of many finest issues to do in Costa Rica.
8. Costa Rica is essentially the most politically steady nation within the area
It might have had a navy dictator within the early twentieth century, and it did have a civil conflict, however since then, Costa Rica has had 16 successive – and peaceable – presidential elections. It’s a stark distinction to many different nations in Central and even Latin America.
9. There’s plenty of seismic exercise in Costa Rica
A type of enjoyable Costa Rica info is that it’s got 14 volcanoes, however 6 of them are fairly energetic. The tallest one is Irazu, at 11,260 toes above sea degree; it final erupted in 1994. The place there are energetic volcanoes, there are earthquakes, and Costa Rica will get plenty of them.
10. Chinese language folks within the nineteenth century thought Costa Rica was referred to as Puntarenas
Effectively, some did. That’s due to a so-called “Chinese language colony” that was settled in Puntarenas round 1873. The settlement turned increasingly well-known, and many individuals simply assumed that their neighbors and friends-of-friends have been making the transfer to this superior place referred to as Puntarenas, not Costa Rica.
11. Extra of Costa Rica is made up of nationwide parks than every other nation
Considered one of my favourite Costa Rica info is {that a} huge 25% of its complete territory contains nationwide parks and nature reserves. The common for the developed world is 13%; the world common is barely 8%.
Costa Rica is certainly up there as the most effective for preserving nature. In Corcovado Nationwide Park, there are huge cats, monkeys, tapirs, and a lot extra – and that’s only one park.
12. Costa Rica boasts an virtually 0% charge of deforestation
Wow. Now, that is a type of enjoyable Costa Rica info which are really superb. What’s much more unbelievable about this Costa Rica info is that the nation really used to have among the worst charges of deforestation going (1973-’79 was significantly dangerous). By 2012, it was virtually ZERO. These inexperienced credentials.
13. Soda doesn’t imply what you suppose it means in Costa Rica
In most locations on the earth soda is, effectively, SODA – a carbonated mushy drink. However in Costa Rica, soda is one thing else fully. Sodas are small roadside eating places and mom-and-pop locations in cities the place you may get good meals for cheap costs.
You’ll be able to replenish on rice, beans, and hen for as little as $3. See extra Costa Rica journey ideas right here. You too can get incredible vegan and vegetarian meals in Costa Rica too!
14. Individuals from Costa Rica aren’t referred to as Costa Ricans
Effectively, you’ll be able to positively name them Costa Ricans, however it’s not the native method of doing issues. Costa Ricans are literally often known as “Ticos.” They name themselves that, and different Latin American nations name ‘em that too. Why? They add “tico” to the ends of phrases for no obvious motive. This is among the most attention-grabbing info about Costa Rica!
15. And so they’re fairly completely happy
The truth is, in 2017 Nationwide Geographic Journal voted Costa Rica because the world’s happiest nation. “Costa Ricans benefit from the pleasure of dwelling every day life to the fullest in a spot that mitigates stress and maximizes pleasure.” We would like in on that!
16. One of the crucial frequent phrases in Costa Rica is pura vida
It actually means “pure life,” however it sounds much less like a Japanese power drink whenever you hear it in context. “How are you?” – “Pura vida, man!” It’s like saying, all good, however with connotations of “life is nice, how can it not be?”
17. Costa Rican delicacies is tremendous various
From conventional Spanish gastronomy and African influences to Mesoamerican flavors and traditions, even Chinese language – every ethnic group that calls Costa Rica dwelling has contributed enormously to how the nation tastes as we speak. And it tastes good.
18. Britons are the second-largest group of Europeans in Costa Rica
You’d suppose it is perhaps Italians, or possibly Germans, however as of 2012, there have been round 5,200 Britons (folks of British origin) dwelling in Costa Rica. That’s fairly just a few. That’s as a result of within the late nineteenth century, Britain – who have been everywhere in the Caribbean on the time – have been the primary to note the espresso plantations of the nation. The pure thought was, after all, “I need a slice of that.”
19. Costa Rica has one of many highest charges of literacy in Latin America
This nation actually believes that schooling is the important thing – and so they aren’t incorrect. Schooling is free, and primary schooling is obligatory. You have to be taught to learn and write right here, which is why they find yourself with a 97% charge of literacy.
20. When the military was abolished, they changed it with a military of lecturers
Every soldier has a wage, every officer, piece of apparatus, and mechanical element of the military got here with its worth. In 1948, when Costa Rica determined to get rid of its navy, it used the cash it saved on schooling. Therefore the excessive ranges of literacy, we think about.
21. Costa Rica is in a Blue Zone
Nope, this doesn’t imply there’s plenty of sea (though there may be). It really signifies that Costa Rica is one among a number of nations on the earth the place folks reside to over 100. So this Central American nation is up there with Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, and Ikaria in Greece. A type of cool enjoyable Costa Rica info.
22. Church buildings in Costa Rica face west
A type of fairly unusual info about Costa Rica is that the church buildings face west. That’s not the case for each single church. The jury’s out on precisely why the church buildings face that method, however the basic consensus appears to be that the congregation contained in the church can pray in direction of Jerusalem, within the east.
23. Costa Rica has some critically cool cash
We problem you to seek out cooler banknotes than Costa Rican ones. Let’s run via ‘em, lets? On the 5 mil colones, there’s a capuchin monkey and a crab chilling in mangroves with bananas.
On the ten mil be aware, there’s a sloth hanging out in a jungle, full with flowers. On the 50, which is purple, there’s a gorgeous blue morpho butterfly, a palm tree, and a few mushrooms. The cash displays the biodiversity of the nation.
24. There’s a cool seaside formed like a whale’s tail in Costa Rica
It’s really referred to as Bahia Ballena. Funnily sufficient, it’s a chief whale-watching spot. Like plenty of pure locations within the nation, it’s protected – because the Marino Ballena Nationwide Park.
25. You’ll be able to watch a Caribbean dawn and a Pacific sundown on the identical day
Due to Costa Rica amazingly boasting a shoreline within the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, it will get the very best of each worlds. However higher than simply that attention-grabbing truth about Costa Rica is that, due to its dimension, you’ll be able to simply see a dawn on one facet, and a sundown on the opposite facet, all in the identical day!
26. The island in Jurassic Park (could also be) based mostly on Cocos Island in Costa Rica
Some say it’s the inspiration for Treasure Island; others say that it may need influenced Daniel Defoe to write down Robinson Crusoe. However no. Many individuals declare that it’s the one and the identical Isla Nubar from Michael Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park. Cocos Island is fairly protected, so who is aware of what’s happening there.
27. Costa Rica is known for stone spheres
They’re tremendous cool, we’re simply going to say that now. They’re about 2,000 years previous; they’re stones which have been sculpted (presumably) into just about good spheres.
They vary from 4 inches to eight toes in diameter. Nobody is aware of what they’re for, however they’re discovered close to gravesites and are organized in strains and curves.
28. There are over 800 chicken species in Costa Rica
Effectively, it’s really extra like 850. That accounts for round 10% of all chicken species on Earth. Naturally, you’re going to seek out some tremendous uncommon birds right here, like rainbow-colored hummingbirds and all types of different craziness. The nationwide chicken of Costa Rica, nonetheless, is the very modest, clay-colored thrush. Go determine.
29. There’s an Okayama Park in San Jose
It’s a reasonably, Japanese-style park full with a torii gate proper out of a Shinto shrine. That’s as a result of San Jose and town of Okayama, Japan, are sister cities. The backyard was opened in 2002 to commemorate 30 years of sister city-hood.
30. San Jose solely began placing in avenue indicators in 2012
That is a type of superb and attention-grabbing Costa Rica info: its capital by no means had avenue indicators. Addresses?! Who wants addresses when you’ll be able to merely give instructions based mostly on native landmarks? The postal service, apparently.
The nation was dropping an estimated $270 million, and it was all right down to misplaced or returned mail. San Jose Mayor Johnny Araya on the time was completely happy: he used to reside at “200 meters north of the Pizza Hut then 400 meters west,” however was wanting ahead to a quantity and avenue title.
31. Tourism is tremendous essential to Costa Rica
As soon as the nation relied on its espresso, bananas, and to a lesser extent, its pineapples. It nonetheless does, however as we speak, tourism has outstripped the riches earned from agri-business and put Costa Rica on the map. The truth is, it’s essentially the most visited nation in Central America.
32. Costa Rica is a pioneer of ecotourism
With all these protected areas (1 / 4 of the nation, don’t neglect), it’s little question that Costa Rica has loads to point out the world on the subject of nature. The Moral Traveler group voted it one among their prime 10 nations in 2017 for ecotourism, for instance.
33. Ox carts are a nationwide image of Costa Rica
Ox carts might seem to be a bizarre one however stick with us. They have been introduced over by colonizers, have been initially pulled by folks, not oxen, and have been instrumental in delivering that all-important money crop to market – espresso.
Within the twentieth century, folks stopped utilizing them a lot and started portray their loopy colours. They turned extra of a logo of social standing. Right now, the common-or-garden ox cart is a nationwide icon. UNESCO even deemed it worthy of happening their intangible cultural property checklist.
What to Pack for Costa Rica
Questioning what to put on in Costa Rica? We have been, too, earlier than we landed in San Jose in the course of the night time. Costa Rica might seem like a small nation, however it’s a land of various climates, terrains, and temperatures.
With this Costa Rica packing checklist, you’ll be capable to pack the correct issues in your suitcase, so that you don’t find yourself with pointless objects or, worse, discover you forgot one thing essential.
Costa Rica Journey Planning Sources
- Packing Information — Take a look at our Costa Rica packing checklist to assist pack your luggage and make sure you don’t depart something at dwelling.
- Hire a Automotive — We propose most guests take into account renting a automotive for the very best journey attainable. Attempt Uncover Automotive Rent to match quotes from completely different rental businesses. Examine Value Right here!
- Shield Your Journey — Don’t neglect to buy journey insurance coverage! We all the time carry journey insurance coverage to guard us from harm, theft, or a canceled journey. Attempt HeyMondo for aggressive short-term plans.
- Excursions in Costa Rica — Take a look at our checklist of the very best excursions you’ll be able to take pleasure in in Costa Rica!
- Journey Adapter – Be sure you discover a good adapter to maintain your private electronics charged. In any other case, you could be paying for an inexpensive one when you land. Buy one right here.
All Round Costa Rica