34 FUN & Interesting Costa Rica Facts!

Seeking some fascinating Costa Rica information? Then you definitely’ve come to the fitting place, as we share some superior information about Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a tremendous nation with so many fascinating issues to know. Learn on to be taught one thing new concerning the Central American nation!

Attention-grabbing Details about Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica was a Spanish Colony

It is a fairly easy, however fascinating information about Costa Rica, but it surely’s additionally a fairly necessary 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. Nevertheless it by no means fought Spain for independence

Nope. Like different Central American states, Costa Rica didn’t really should straight battle towards Spain to assert independence. Independence of a sort got here after the Mexican Battle of Independence defeated Spain. 

3. Costa Rica doesn’t have a navy

One of the vital fascinating Costa Rica information. Following the bloody, 44-day-long Costa Rican Civil Battle through which 2,000 individuals died, the nation determined to do away with 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 instructed everybody that there was a ton of bijou 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 individuals to do their soiled work for them, in order that they needed to work for themselves. Because of this, Costa Rica has change into the idiosyncratic democracy everybody is aware of and loves at the moment.

6. Most of Costa Rica’s power comes from renewable sources (One in every of my favourite Costa Rica information!)

I completely love this and it’s top-of-the-line enjoyable information about Costa Rica. Yep, this Central American nation is tremendous environmentally pleasant. Virtually ALL of its power comes from renewable sources – a large 98.1% by 2016. They have been considered the greenest nation on the earth in 2009, and wish to be carbon impartial by 2021. Superior.

7. Costa Ricans are loopy for espresso

One of the vital fascinating Costa Rica information is that individuals love espresso! Their prime trade within the twentieth century was espresso and led finally to the aptly named “espresso barons” – type of like oil barons, however with espresso as an alternative. This mainly led to the financial development of the nation. Should you’re visiting attempt to hit up a espresso farm, it’s top-of-the-line issues to do in Costa Rica.

8. Costa Rica is essentially the most politically secure nation within the area

It could have had a navy dictator within the early twentieth century, and it did have a civil battle, 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 kind of enjoyable Costa Rica information is that it’s got 14 volcanoes, however 6 of them are fairly lively. The tallest one is Irazu, at 11,260 toes above sea stage; it final erupted in 1994. The place there are lively volcanoes, there are earthquakes, and Costa Rica will get plenty of them.

10. Chinese language individuals within the nineteenth century thought Costa Rica was known as Puntarenas

Properly, some did. That’s due to a so-called “Chinese language colony” that was settled in Puntarenas round 1873. The settlement turned an increasing number of well-known, and many individuals simply assumed that their neighbors and friends-of-friends have been making the transfer to this superior place known as Puntarenas, not Costa Rica.

11. Extra of Costa Rica is made up of nationwide parks than every other nation

One in every of my favourite Costa Rica information is {that a} large 25% of its whole territory includes nationwide parks and nature reserves. The common for the developed world is 13%; the world common is just 8%.

Costa Rica is certainly up there as top-of-the-line 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 nearly 0% price of deforestation

Wow. Now, that is a kind of enjoyable Costa Rica information which can be really superb. What’s much more unimaginable about this Costa Rica information is that the nation really used to have a few of the worst charges of deforestation going (1973-’79 was notably dangerous). By 2012, it was nearly 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 smooth drink. However in Costa Rica, soda is one thing else totally. Sodas are small roadside eating places and mom-and-pop locations in cities the place you will get good meals for cheap costs.

You possibly can replenish on rice, beans, and hen for as little as $3. See extra Costa Rica journey suggestions right here. It’s also possible to get improbable vegan and vegetarian meals in Costa Rica too!

14. Individuals from Costa Rica aren’t known as Costa Ricans

Properly, you’ll be able to undoubtedly name them Costa Ricans, but it surely’s not the native method of doing issues. Costa Ricans are literally often called “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 without doubt one of the most fascinating information about Costa Rica!

15. They usually’re fairly blissful

In reality, in 2017 Nationwide Geographic Journal voted Costa Rica because the world’s happiest nation. “Costa Ricans benefit from the pleasure of dwelling day by day life to the fullest in a spot that mitigates stress and maximizes pleasure.” We wish in on that!

16. One of the vital widespread phrases in Costa Rica is pura vida

It actually means “pure life,” but it surely sounds much less like a Japanese power drink if 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 residence has contributed drastically to how the nation tastes at the moment. And it tastes good.

18. Britons are the second-largest group of Europeans in Costa Rica

You’d suppose it is perhaps Italians, or perhaps Germans, however as of 2012, there have been round 5,200 Britons (individuals 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, in fact, “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 training is the important thing – they usually aren’t fallacious. Schooling is free, and primary training is obligatory. You need to be taught to learn and write right here, which is why they find yourself with a 97% price of literacy.

20. When the military was abolished, they changed it with a military of academics

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 cast off its navy, it used the cash it saved on training. 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’s). It really implies that Costa Rica is considered one of a number of nations on the earth the place individuals reside to over 100. So this Central American nation is up there with Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, and Ikaria in Greece. A kind of cool enjoyable Costa Rica information.

22. Church buildings in Costa Rica face west

A kind of fairly unusual information 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 normal consensus appears to be that the congregation contained in the church can pray in the direction of Jerusalem, within the east.

23. Costa Rica has some critically cool cash

We problem you to search out cooler banknotes than Costa Rican ones. Let’s run via ‘em, we could? 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 phenomenal 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 known as Bahia Ballena. Funnily sufficient, it’s a major whale-watching spot. Like plenty of pure locations within the nation, it’s protected – because the Marino Ballena Nationwide Park.

25. You possibly can watch a Caribbean dawn and a Pacific sundown on the identical day

Because of Costa Rica amazingly boasting a shoreline within the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, it will get the perfect of each worlds. However higher than simply that fascinating reality about Costa Rica is that, due to its measurement, you’ll be able to simply see a dawn on one aspect, and a sundown on the opposite aspect, 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 jot 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 legendary 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 traces and curves.

28. There are over 800 fowl species in Costa Rica

Properly, it’s really extra like 850. That accounts for round 10% of all fowl species on Earth. Naturally, you’re going to search out some tremendous uncommon birds right here, like rainbow-colored hummingbirds and all kinds of different craziness. The nationwide fowl 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 fairly, Japanese-style park full with a torii gate proper out of a Shinto shrine. That’s as a result of San Jose and the 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 kind of superb and fascinating Costa Rica information: 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 blissful: 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 necessary to Costa Rica

As soon as the nation relied on its espresso, bananas, and to a lesser extent, its pineapples. It nonetheless does, however at the moment, tourism has outstripped the riches earned from agri-business and put Costa Rica on the map. In reality, 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 overlook), it’s little doubt that Costa Rica has lots to indicate the world relating to nature. The Moral Traveler group voted it considered one of their prime 10 nations in 2017 for ecotourism, for instance.

33. Ox carts are a nationwide image of Costa Rica

Ox carts could look like a bizarre one however stick with us. They have been introduced over by colonizers, have been initially pulled by individuals, not oxen, and have been instrumental in delivering that all-important money crop to market – espresso.

Within the twentieth century, individuals stopped utilizing them a lot and commenced portray their loopy colours. They turned extra of a logo of social standing. In the present day, 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 midst of the evening. Costa Rica could appear to be a small nation, but it surely’s a land of various climates, terrains, and temperatures.

With this Costa Rica packing checklist, you’ll have the ability to pack the fitting issues in your suitcase, so that you don’t find yourself with pointless gadgets or, worse, discover you forgot one thing necessary.

All Round Costa Rica