COSTA
RICA INFORMATION
Moving
to Costa Rica or already living in Costa Rica? We at Costa Rica INC
will personally help you find the best of Costa Rica Real Estate, Costa
Rica Investments, Residency, Costa Rica Law and more.
GROWTH
| STATS |
POPULATION | EXPORTS
| TIME | HOLIDAYS
One million
tourists travel to Costa Rica each year! Experiencing the adventures
and relaxation of the Emerald Jewel for their Costa Rica vacation! Costa
Rica, located in Central America, is an isthmus where life thrives in
union with nature though a symbiotic relationship.
RAIN FOREST COMPANION
Costa Rica's landmass is only 0.03% of the surface of our planet, yet
it has approximately 6% of the world's bio diversity. Costa Rica is
50,000 square kilometers between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean
and is about the same size as Switzerland. The Central Valley around
San José has an altitude of 1,165 meters or 3,880 ft. Because
of its location an almost constant temperature of 20ºC or 68ºF
all year round, Costa Rica's climate is considered the healthiest climate
of the world according to a NASA research. Depending on the altitude
and the region in which you are, you can pick your climate.
EMERALD CRYSTAL FOREST
Rain forests and National Parks cover more than 27% of Costa Rica's
emerald green landmass Amidst the emerald lush rain forests exists an
incredible bio-diversity of over one million species of flora and fauna.
Costa Rica, the emerald jewel, is home to 6% of all the plants and animals
found on the entire planet Earth. This incredible collection of plant
life and animals creates a tropical family ranging in 9,000 species
of flowering plants, 1,200 of orchids, 850 of birds, 376 of reptiles
and amphibians and 205 of mammals.
CLOUD FOREST
Costa Rica has no military, no nuclear power plants, almost no illiteracy,
lots of pure nature and no winter. Thanks to its open heart and kindness
toward foreigners, Costa Rica is the ideal country for people who want
a more natural way of life, or to retire from an active business or
personal life. Eco-tourists, retirees, and nature lovers find their
self surrounded by the rich abundance of fauna and flora, Costa Rica
rain forest, and gentle tropical ocean breeze.
PUNTA UVA
COSTA
RICA COMMERCE & GROWTH
• Costa Rica is among the top 30 leading exporters of high-tech
products (Human Development Report, 2001).
• The UNCTAD in its 2002 World Investment Report classified Costa
Rica as one of the six most successful countries in the attraction of
the FDI.
•
E-commerce and Development Report 2002, states that Costa Rica can potentially
enhance export competitiveness and produce high value-added services
that gives a major boost to the local economy.
•
Growth of the domestic IT industry has led more firms to use ICT in
their business activities, enabling them to move rapidly into e-commerce,
e-banking and e-tourism.
• The Economist Intelligence Unit informs us, San José is
the city with the best quality of life in Latin America.
• Costa Rica is the country with the longest uninterrupted democracy
government.
•
Costa Rica is ranked 9th out of 142 countries in the Environmental Index
(World Economic Forum, 2002)
ARENAL LAKE
& COSTA RICA VOLCANO ARENAL
COSTA RICA STATS & GENERAL INFORMATION
Full country name: Republic of Costa Rica
Area: 51,100 sq km
Population: 4.1 million
People: 96% Spanish descent, 2% African descent, 1% indigenous, 1% Chinese
Language: English, Spanish; Castilian
Religion: 75% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant
Government: democratic republic
Head of State: President Abel Pacheco de la Espriella
GDP:
US$32 billion
GDP per capita: US$8,300
Annual Growth: 1%
Inflation: 9.1%
Major Industries: Tourism, electronics, coffee, bananas, sugar, food
processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer,
plastic products
Major Trading Partners: USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico
STANDARD
OF LIVING INDICATORS
Life expectancy: 76.1 years
Literacy rate: 95.5%
Educational Institutions: 6147 primary and secondary schools and 50
universities
Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2002).
Youth literacy: 98.3%
Population served with piped water: 99%
Public health services coverage: 90.4% of population
Health expenditures: 27.8% of government budget
Access to telephone service: 92% of population
POPULATING
4.0 million
Density: 78.4 inhabitants per square kilometer (203.5 inhabitants per
sq. mile)
Major metropolitan center: San Jose (1 M )
By sex: men: 49,86% women: 50,14%
Total labor force: 1,7 million
Economically active population: 42.3%
Unemployment rate 2002: 6.4%
Underemployment rate 2002: 7.6 %
MAIN
EXPORTS:
Electronic components, textiles, bananas, coffee, medical devices, pineapples,
foliage and ornamentals, fish and seafood, processed foods.
COSTA
RICA TIME
Time Costa Rica is one hour behind the United State’s Eastern Standard
Time and eight hours ahead of Central European Time. Daylight saving
time is not used.
NATIONAL
HOLIDAYS
January 1 New Year's Day
March 19 St. Joseph's Day (Patron of Capital City)
2 days Holy Week Thursday and Friday
April 11 Juan Santamaria's Day (National hero)
May 1 Labor Day
June 29 Saints Peter & Paul
July 25 Annexation of Guanacaste
August 2 Virgin of Los Angeles, Patron of Costa Rica
August 15 Mother's Day
Sept. 15 Independence day
Oct. 12 Discovery of America
Dec. 8 Immaculate Conception
Dec. 25 Christmas
Living
in Costa Rica or Moving to Costa Rica
We save you time, energy, money, & hassles
Let
me introduce you to The Network
LET
US CUSTOM SELECT
THE BEST OF COSTA RICA
FOR YOU! E-MAIL US
