Costa Rica

Costa Rica(UK:/ˌkɒstəˈriːkə/,US:/ˌkoʊstə-/;Spanish:[ˈkostaˈrika]; literally "Rich Coast"), officially theRepublic of Costa Rica,is a country in the Central American region ofNorth America. It bordersNicaraguato the north, theCaribbean Seato the northeast,Panamato the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well asmaritime borderwithEcuadorto the south ofCocos Island. It has a population of around five millionin a land area of nearly 51,180 km(19,760 sq mi).An estimated 352,381 people live in the capital and largest city,San José, with around two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.
Thesovereign stateis apresidential republic. It has a long-standing and stableconstitutionaldemocracy and a highly educated workforce.The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget (2016) on education, compared to a global average of 4.4%.Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, andecotourism. Many foreign manufacturing and services companies operate in Costa Rica'sFree Trade Zones(FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives.
Costa Rica was inhabited byindigenous peoplesbefore coming underSpanish rulein the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of theFirst Mexican Empire, followed by membership in theFederal Republic of Central America, from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Following the briefCosta Rican Civil Warin 1948, it permanentlyabolished its armyin 1949, becoming one of only a few sovereignnations without a standing army.
The country has consistently performed favorably in theHuman Development Index(HDI), placing 58th in the world as of 2022, and fifth in Latin America.It has also been cited by theUnited Nations Development Programme(UNDP) as having attained much higherhuman developmentthan other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than the median of the region.It performs well in comparisons ofdemocratic governance, press freedom, subjective happiness andsustainable wellbeing. It has the 26th freest press according to the 2024Press Freedom Index, it is the 35th most democratic country according to the 2021Freedom in the Worldindex, and it is the 23rd happiest country in the 2023World Happiness Report.It is also a major tourist destination in the continent.
Historians have classified theIndigenous peopleof Costa Rica as belonging to theIntermediate Area, where the peripheries of theMesoamericanandAndeannative cultures overlapped. More recently,pre-ColumbianCosta Rica has also been described as part of theIsthmo-Colombian Area.
Stone tools, the oldest evidence of human occupation in Costa Rica, are associated with the arrival of various groups ofhunter-gatherersabout 10,000 to 7,000 yearsBCEin theTurrialba Valley. The presence ofClovis culturetype spearheads and arrows fromSouth Americaopens the possibility that, in this area, two different cultures coexisted.
Agriculture became evident in the populations that lived in Costa Rica about 5,000 years ago. They mainly grewtubersand roots. For the first and second millennia BCE there were already settled farming communities. These were small and scattered, although the timing of the transition fromhuntingand gathering to agriculture as the main livelihood in the territory is still unknown.
The earliest use ofpotteryappears around 2,000 to 3,000 BCE. Shards of pots, cylindrical vases, platters, gourds, and other vases decorated with grooves, prints, and some modeled after animals have been found.
The influence of Indigenous peoples on modern Costa Rican culture has been relatively small compared to other nations since the country lacked a strong native civilization to begin with.Most of the native population was absorbed into the Spanish-speakingcolonial societythrough inter-marriage,except for some small remnants, the most significant of which are theBribriandBorucatribes who still inhabit the mountains of theCordillera de Talamanca, in the southeastern part of Costa Rica, near the frontier withPanama.
The namela costa rica, meaning "rich coast" in the Spanish language, was in some accounts first applied byChristopher Columbus, who sailed to the eastern shores of Costa Rica during his final voyage in 1502,and reported vast quantities of gold jewelry worn by natives.The name may also have come from conquistadorGil González Dávila, who landed on the west coast in 1522, encountered natives, and obtained some of their gold, sometimes by violent theft and sometimes as gifts from local leaders.
During most of the colonial period, Costa Rica was the southernmost province of theCaptaincy General of Guatemala, nominally part of theViceroyalty of New Spain. The captaincy general was a largely autonomous entity within theSpanish Empire. Costa Rica's distance from the capital of the captaincy inGuatemala, its legal prohibition undermercantilistSpanish law from trade with its southern neighbor Panama, then part of theViceroyalty of New Granada(i.e.Colombia), and lack of resources such as gold and silver, made Costa Rica into a poor, isolated, and sparsely-inhabited region within the Spanish Empire.Costa Rica was described as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all America" by a Spanish governor in 1719.
Another important factor behind Costa Rica's poverty was the lack of a significant Indigenous population available forencomienda(forced labor), which meant most of the Costa Rican settlers had to work on their land, preventing the establishment of largehaciendas(plantations). For all these reasons, Costa Rica was, by and large, unappreciated and overlooked by theSpanish Crownand left to develop on its own. The circumstances during this period are believed to have led to many of the idiosyncrasies for which Costa Rica has become known, while concomitantly setting the stage for Costa Rica's development as a more egalitarian society than the rest of its neighbors. Costa Rica became a "rural democracy" with no oppressedmestizoor indigenous class. It was not long before Spanish settlers turned to the hills, where they found rich volcanic soil and a milder climate than that of the lowlands.
Like the rest ofCentral America, Costa Rica never fought for independence from Spain. On 15 September 1821, after the final Spanish defeat in theMexican War of Independence(1810–1821), the authorities in Guatemala declared the independence of all of Central America. That date is still celebrated as Independence Day in Costa Ricaeven though, technically, under theSpanish Constitution of 1812that had been readopted in 1820,Nicaraguaand Costa Rica had become an autonomous province with its capital inLeón.
On March 3, 1824, the government of the State of Costa Rica officially proposed to the municipality of Nicoya its voluntary incorporation into the country, through a document in which it invited it "if it was convenient to join its Province without going against its will." On July 4, an open town hall was convened in Nicoya to discuss the matter, but attendees declined the invitation under the argument "that this Party... cannot be dissident."
On July 25, 1824, a secondplebiscitewas called in the city of Nicoya. After deliberation, the incorporation into Costa Rica was decided in an open town hall meeting, preparing a record in which the main reasons for it were noted, pointing out the advantages in terms of trade, the desire to participate in the advances that are palpable in Costa Rica, the economic, administrative and public service benefits, the creation of schools, security and quiet, referring to the state of war that Nicaragua was experiencing at that time and the fear that it would spread to the Partido populations, in addition to point out the poverty in which its towns find themselves and the geography of the territory as justifications for the union. Three days later, another similar plebiscite was held inSanta Cruz, with the same result. The election was by majority vote, with 77% of the Party's population in favor of incorporation, and 23% against it. The town of Guanacaste was the only one that declined annexation, due to the ties its residents had with the city ofRivas, Nicaragua.
Upon independence, Costa Rican authorities faced the issue of officially deciding the future of the country. Two bands formed: the Imperialists, defended byCartagoandHeredia cities, which were in favor ofjoiningtheMexican Empire, and the Republicans, represented by the cities ofSan JoséandAlajuelawho defended full independence. Because of the lack of agreement on these two possible outcomes, the first civil war in Costa Rica occurred. TheBattle of Ochomogotook place on the Hill ofOchomogo, located in theCentral Valleyin 1823. The conflict was won by the Republicans and, as a consequence, the city ofCartagolost its status as the capital, which moved toSan José.
In 1838, long after theFederal Republic of Central Americaceased to function in practice, Costa Rica formally withdrew and proclaimed itself sovereign. The considerable distance and poor communication routes betweenGuatemala Cityand the Central Plateau, where most of the Costa Rican population lived then and still lives now, meant the local population had little allegiance to the federal government in Guatemala. Since colonial times, Costa Rica has been reluctant to become economically tied with the rest of Central America. Even today, despite most of its neighbors'efforts to increase regional integration,Costa Rica has remained more independent.
Until 1849, when it became part ofPanama,Chiriquíwas part of Costa Rica. Costa Rican pride was assuaged for the loss of this eastern (or southern) territory with the acquisition ofGuanacaste, in the north.
Coffeewas first planted in Costa Rica in 1808,and by the 1820s, it surpassedtobacco,sugar, andcacaoas a primaryexport. Coffee production remained Costa Rica's principal source of wealth well into the 20th century, creating a wealthy class of growers, the so-called Coffee Barons.The revenue helped to modernize the country.
Most of the coffee exported was grown around the main centers of population in the Central Plateau and then transported byoxcartto thePacificport ofPuntarenasafter the main road was built in 1846.By the mid-1850s the main market for coffee was Britain.It soon became a high priority to develop an effective transportation route from the Central Plateau to the Atlantic Ocean. For this purpose, in the 1870s, the Costa Rican government contracted with U.S. businessmanMinor C. Keithto build a railroad from San José to theCaribbeanport ofLimón. Despite enormous difficulties with construction, disease, and financing, the railroad was completed in 1890.
Most Afro-Costa Ricans descend fromJamaicanimmigrants who worked in the construction of that railway and now make up about 3% of Costa Rica's population.U.S. convicts, Italians, and Chinese immigrants also participated in the construction project. In exchange for completing the railroad, the Costa Rican government granted Keith large tracts of land and a lease on the train route, which he used to producebananasand export them to the United States. As a result, bananas came to rival coffee as the principal Costa Rican export, while foreign-owned corporations (including theUnited Fruit Companylater) began to hold a major role in the national economy and eventually became a symbol of the exploitative export economy.The major labor dispute between the peasants and the United Fruit Company (The Great Banana Strike) was a major event in the country's history and was an important step that would eventually lead to the formation of effectivetrade unions in Costa Rica, as the company was required to sign a collective agreement with its workers in 1938.
Historically, Costa Rica has generally enjoyed greater peace and more consistent political stability than many of its fellow Latin American nations. Since the late 19th century, however, Costa Rica has experienced two significant periods of violence. In 1917–1919, GeneralFederico Tinoco Granadosruled as a military dictator until he was overthrown and forced into exile. The unpopularity ofTinoco's regimeled, after he was overthrown, to a considerable decline in the size, wealth, and political influence of the Costa Rican military. In 1948,José Figueres Ferrerled anarmed uprisingin the wake of a disputed presidential election betweenRafael Ángel Calderón Guardia(who had been president between 1940 and 1944) andOtilio Ulate Blanco.With more than 2,000 dead, the resulting 44-dayCosta Rican Civil Warwas the bloodiest event in Costa Rica during the 20th century.
The victorious rebels formed a government junta thatabolished the militaryall together and oversaw the drafting of a new constitution by a democratically elected assembly.Having enacted these reforms, the junta transferred power to Ulate on 8 November 1949. After thecoup d'état, Figueres became a national hero, winning the country's first democratic election under the new constitutionin 1953. Since then, Costa Rica has held 15 additional presidential elections, the latestin 2022. With uninterrupted democracy dating back to at least 1948, the country is the region's most stable.
Costa Rica borders theCaribbean Seato the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Costa Rica also bordersNicaraguato the north andPanamato the south.
The highest point in the country isCerro Chirripó, at 3,819 metres (12,530 ft). The highest volcano in the country is theIrazú Volcano(3,431 m or 11,257 ft) and the largest lake isLake Arenal. There are 14 known volcanoes in Costa Rica, and six of them have been active in the last 75 years.
Costa Rica experiences atropical climateyear-round. There are two seasons. The dry season is December to April, and the rainy season is May to November. March and April are the hottest months in the country, while December and January are the coldest. However, there are rainy days in the dry season, as well as weeks without rain in the wet season.
Despite its size, Costa Rica is one of the countries withthe greatest biodiversityin all ofLatin America.
One national park, theCorcovado National Park, is internationally renowned among ecologists for its biodiversity (includingbig catsandtapirs) and is where visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife.Corcovado is the one park in Costa Rica whereall four Costa Rican monkey speciescan be found.These include thewhite-headed capuchin, themantled howler, the endangeredGeoffroy's spider monkey,and theCentral American squirrel monkey, found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part ofPanamaand considered endangered until 2008 when its status was upgraded to vulnerable.Deforestation, illegal pet trading, and hunting are the main reasons for its threatened status.La AmistadandChirripópresent the climate of thepáramo, at a height of more than 3000 meters above sea level, providing other types of flora and fauna, such as thewhite-nosed coati, thesooty thrushandRogiera amoena. Costa Rica is the first tropical country to have stopped and reversed deforestation; it has successfully restored its forestry and developed an ecosystem service to teach biologists and ecologists about its environmental protection measures.The country had a 2018Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 4.65/10, ranking it 118th globally out of 172 countries.
The country has been considered economically stable with moderate inflation, estimated at 2.6% in 2017,and moderately high GDP growth, which increased from US$41.3 billion in 2011 to US$52.6 billion in 2015.The estimated GDP for 2018 is US$59.0 billion and the estimated GDP per capita (purchasing power parity) is Intl$17,559.1.The growingdebtandbudget deficitare the country's primary concerns.A 2017 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that reducing the foreign debt must be a very high priority for the government. Other fiscal reforms were also recommended to moderate the budget deficit.
Many foreign companies (manufacturing and services) operate in Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives.Well over half of that type of investment has come from the U.S.According to the government, the zones supported over 82,000 direct jobs and 43,000indirect jobsin 2015.Companies with facilities in the America Free Zone in Heredia, for example, include Intel, Dell, HP, Bayer, Bosch, DHL, IBM and Okay Industries.
Of the 2016 GDP, 5.5% was generated by agriculture, 18.6% by industry, and 75.9% by services. For the region, its unemployment level is moderately high (8.2% in 2016, according to the IMF).Although 20.5% of the population lives below the poverty line (2017),Costa Rica has one of the highest standards of living in Central America.
High-quality health care is provided by the government at a low cost to the users.Housing is also very affordable. Costa Rica is recognized in Latin America for the quality of its educational system, a result of which is that the country has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America, 97%.General Basic Education is mandatory and provided without cost to the user.A US government report confirms that the country has "historically placed a high priority on education and the creation of a skilled workforce" but notes that the high school drop-out rate is increasing. As well, Costa Rica would benefit from more courses in languages such as English, Portuguese, Mandarin, and French and also in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Costa Rica sources much of its energy from renewables and is undertakingreforestationprojects to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, the Costa Rican government announced the commitment for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021.Costa Rica would be, according to its leaders, the first country in the world to have launched in 2019 a comprehensive decarbonization plan (net zero carbon emissionsby 2050).
Costa Rica has free trade agreements with many countries, including the US. There are no significant trade barriers that would affect imports and the country has been lowering its tariffs to other Central American countries.The country's Free Trade Zones provide incentives for manufacturing and service industries to operate in Costa Rica. In 2015, the zones supported over 82 thousand direct jobs and 43 thousand indirect jobs 2015, and average wages in the FTZ were 1.8 times greater than the average for private enterprise work in the rest of the country.In 2016,Amazon.comfor example, had some 3,500 employees in Costa Rica and planned to increase that by 1,500 in 2017, making it an important employer.
The central location provides access to American markets and direct ocean access to Europe and Asia. The most important exports in 2015 (in order of dollar value) were medical instruments, bananas, tropical fruits, integrated circuits, and orthopedic appliances.Total imports in that year were US$15 billion. The most significant products imported in 2015 (in order of dollar value) were refined petroleum, automobiles, packaged medications, broadcasting equipment, and computers. The total exports were US$12.6 billion for a trade deficit of US$2.39 billion in 2015.
Pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, andecotourismhave become the prime industries in Costa Rica's economy. High levels of education among its residents make the country an attractive investment location. Since 1999, tourism earns more foreign exchange than the combined exports of the country's three maincash crops: bananas and pineapples especially,but also other crops, including coffee.Coffee productionplayed a key role in Costa Rica's history and in 2006, was the third cash crop export.As a small country, Costa Rica now provides under 1% of the world's coffee production.In 2015, the value of coffee exports was US$305.9 million, a small part of the total agricultural exports of US$2.7 billion.Coffee production increased by 13.7% percent in 2015–16, declined by 17.5% in 2016–17 but was expected to increase by about 15% in the subsequent year.
Costa Rica has developed a system ofpayments for environmental services.Similarly, Costa Rica has a tax on water pollution to penalize businesses and homeowners that dump sewage,agricultural chemicals, and other pollutants into waterways.In May 2007, the Costa Rican government announced its intentions to become 100%carbon neutralby 2021.By 2015, 93 percent of the country's electricity came fromrenewable sources.In 2019, the country produced 99.62% of its electricity from renewable sources and ran completely on renewable sources for 300 continuous days.
In 1996, the Forest Law was enacted to provide direct financial incentives to landowners for the provision of environmental services.This helped reorient the forestry sector away from commercial timber production and the resultingdeforestationand helped create awareness of the services it provides for the economy and society (i.e.,carbon fixation, hydrological services such as producing fresh drinking water, biodiversity protection, and provision of scenic beauty).
A 2016 report by the U.S. government report identifies other challenges facing Costa Rica as it works to expand its economy by working with companies from the US (and probably from other countries).The major concerns identified were as follows:
Costa Rica had 2.9 million foreign visitors in 2016, up 10% from 2015.In 2015, the tourism sector was responsible for 5.8% of the country's GDP, or $3.4 billion.In 2016, the highest number of tourists came from the United States, with 1,000,000 visitors, followed by Europe with 434,884 arrivals.According to Costa Rica Vacations, once tourists arrive in the country, 22% go toTamarindo, 18% go toArenal, 17% pass throughLiberia(where theDaniel Oduber Quirós International Airportis located), 16% go toSan José, the country's capital (passing throughJuan Santamaría International Airport), while 18% choose Manuel Antonio and 7% Monteverde.
By 2004, tourism was generating more revenue andforeign exchangethan bananas and coffee combined.In 2016, the World Travel & Tourism Council's estimates indicated a direct contribution to the GDP of 5.1% and 110,000 direct jobs in Costa Rica; the total number of jobs indirectly supported by tourism was 271,000.
A pioneer ofecotourism, Costa Rica draws many tourists to its extensive series of national parks and other protected areas.The trailCamino de Costa Ricasupports this by allowing travelers to walk across the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. In the 2011Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Costa Rica ranked 44th in the world and second among Latin American countries after Mexico in 2011.By the time of the 2017 report, the country had reached 38th place, slightly behind Panama.The Ethical Traveler group's ten countries on their 2017 list of The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations includes Costa Rica. The country scored highest in environmental protection among the winners.Costa Rica began reversingdeforestationin the 1990s, and they are moving towards using onlyrenewable energy, with 93% of all its energy being renewable.
Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which in turn are divided into 82 cantons (Spanish:cantón, pluralcantones), each of which is directed by a mayor. Mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton. There are no provincial legislatures. The cantons are further divided into 488 districts (distritos).
Costa Rica is an active member of theUnited Nationsand theOrganization of American States. TheInter-American Court of Human Rightsand theUnited Nations University of Peaceare based in Costa Rica. It is also a member of many other international organizations related tohuman rightsand democracy, such as theCommunity of Democracies. The main foreign policy objective of Costa Rica is to foster human rights and sustainable development as a way to secure stability and growth.
Costa Rica is a member of theInternational Criminal Court, without aBilateral Immunity Agreementof protection for theUnited States military(as covered underArticle 98). Costa Rica is an observer of theOrganisation internationale de la Francophonie.
On 10 September 1961, some months afterFidel CastrodeclaredCubaa socialist state, Costa Rican PresidentMario Echandiended diplomatic relations with Cuba throughExecutive Decree Number 2. This freeze lasted 47 years until PresidentÓscar Arias Sánchezre-established normal relations on 18 March 2009, saying, "If we have been able to turn the page with regimes as profoundly different to our reality as occurred with the USSR or, more recently, with the Republic of China, how would we not do it with a country that is geographically and culturally much nearer to Costa Rica?" Arias announced that both countries would exchange ambassadors.
Costa Rica has a long-term disagreement withNicaraguaover theSan Juan River, which defines the border between the two countries, and Costa Rica'srights of navigationon the river.On 14 July 2009, theInternational Court of Justicein the Hague upheld Costa Rica's navigation rights for commercial purposes tosubsistence fishingon their side of the river. An 1858 treaty extended navigation rights to Costa Rica, but Nicaragua denied passenger travel and fishing were part of the deal; the court ruled Costa Ricans on the river were not required to have Nicaraguan tourist cards or visas as Nicaragua argued, but, in a nod to the Nicaraguans, ruled that Costa Rican boats and passengers must stop at the first and last Nicaraguan port along their route. They must also have an identity document or passport. Nicaragua can also impose timetables on Costa Rican traffic. Nicaragua may require Costa Rican boats to display theflag of Nicaraguabut may not charge them for departure clearance from its ports. These were all specific items of contention brought to the court in the 2005 filing.
In 2010, there was also adispute around Isla Calero, and the effects of Nicaraguandredgingof the river in that area.
On 1 June 2007, Costa Rica broke diplomatic ties withTaiwan, switching recognition to the People's Republic of China. Costa Rica was the first of the Central American nations to do so. PresidentÓscar Arias Sánchezadmitted the action was a response to economic exigency.In response, the PRC built a new, $100 million, state-of-the-artfootballstadium in Parque la Sabana, in the province of San José. Approximately 600 Chinese engineers and laborers took part in this project, and it was inaugurated in March 2011, with a match between the national teams ofCosta RicaandChina.
Costa Rica finished a term on theUnited Nations Security Council, having been elected for a nonrenewable, two-year term in the2007 election. Its term expired on 31 December 2009; this was Costa Rica's third time on the Security Council. Elayne Whyte Gómez is the Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN Office at Geneva (2017) and President of the United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons.
Costa Rica is the 58th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024Global Peace Index.
On 1 December 1948, Costa Rica abolished its military force.In 1949, the abolition of the military was introduced inArticle 12of theCosta Rican Constitution. The budget previously dedicated to the military is now dedicated to providing health care services and education.According toDeutsche Welle, "Costa Rica is known for its stable democracy, progressive social policies, such as free, compulsory public education, high social well-being, and emphasis on environmental protection."For law enforcement, Costa Rica has thePublic Force of Costa Ricapolice agency.
In 2017, Costa Rica signed the UNtreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Costa Rica has been one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting aworld constitution.As a result, in 1968, for the first time in human history, aWorld Constituent Assemblyconvened to draft and adopt theConstitution for the Federation of Earth.Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich, then president of Costa Rica signed the agreement to convene a World Constituent Assemblyalong with former presidentsJosé Figueres FerrerandOtilio Ulate Blanco.
In 2021, Costa Rica, alongside Denmark, launched the "Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance" (BOGA) to stop the use of fossil fuels.The BOGA campaign was presented in theCOP26Climate Summit, where Sweden joined as a core member, while New Zealand and Portugal joined as associate members.
The2022 censuscounted a total population of 5,044,197 people.In 2022, the census also recorded ethnic or racial identity for all groups separately for the first time in more than ninety-five years since the 1927 census. Options included Indigenous, Black or Afro-descendant, Mulatto, Chinese,Mestizo, white and other on section IV: question 7.In 2011 data for the following groups were: 83.6% whites ormestizos, 6.7%mulattoes, 2.4%Native American, 1.1% black orAfro-Caribbean; the census showed 1.1% as Other, 2.9% (141,304 people) as None, and 2.2% (107,196 people) as unspecified.
In 2011, there were over 104,000 Native American or indigenous inhabitants, representing 2.4% of the population. Most of them live in secluded reservations, distributed among eight ethnic groups:Quitirrisí(in the Central Valley), Matambú orChorotega(Guanacaste),Maleku(northern Alajuela),Bribri(southern Atlantic),Cabécar(Cordillera de Talamanca),Ngäbe(southern Costa Rica, along the Panamá border),Boruca(southern Costa Rica) andTérraba[es](southern Costa Rica).
The population includesEuropean Costa Ricans(of European ancestry), primarily ofSpanishdescent,with significant numbers of Italian, German, English, Dutch, French, Irish, Portuguese, and Polish families, as well a sizable Jewish community. The majority of the Afro-Costa Ricans areCreole English-speaking descendants of 19th century blackJamaicanimmigrant workers.
The 2011 census classified 83.6% of the population as white orMestizo; the latter are persons of combined European and Amerindian descent. TheMulattosegment (mix of white and black) represented 6.7% and Indigenous people made up 2.4% of the population.Native and European mixed-blood populations are far less than in other Latin American countries. Exceptions areGuanacaste, where almost half the population is visibly mestizo, a legacy of the more pervasive unions between Spanish colonists and Chorotega Amerindians through several generations, andLimón, where the vast majority of the Afro-Costa Rican community lives.
Costa Rica hosts many refugees, mainly fromColombiaandNicaragua. As a result of that and illegal immigration, an estimated 10–15% (400,000–600,000) of the Costa Rican population is made up of Nicaraguans.Some Nicaraguans migrate for seasonal work opportunities and then return to their country. Costa Rica took in many refugees from a range of other Latin American countries fleeing civil wars and dictatorships during the 1970s and 1980s, notably fromChileandArgentina, as well as people fromEl Salvadorwho fled fromguerrillasand governmentdeath squads.
According to theWorld Bank, in 2010 about 489,200 immigrants lived in the country, many from Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize, while 125,306 Costa Ricans live abroad in the United States, Panama, Nicaragua, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Venezuela,Dominican Republic, andEcuador.The number of migrants declined in later years but in 2015, there were some 420,000 immigrants in Costa Ricaand the number of asylum seekers (mostly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) rose to more than 110,000, a fivefold increase from 2012.In 2016, the country was called a "magnet" for migrants from South and Central America and other countries who were hoping to reach the U.S.
Most Costa Ricans identify with a Christian religion, withCatholicismbeing the one with the largest number of members and also the officialstate religionaccording to the 1949 Constitution, which at the same time guaranteesfreedom of religion. Costa Rica is the only modern state in theAmericaswhich currently has Catholicism as its state religion; other countries with state religions (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Orthodox) are in Europe:Liechtenstein,Monaco, theVatican City,Malta,United Kingdom,Denmark,Iceland, andGreece.
The Latinobarómetro survey of 2017 found that 57% of the population identify themselves asRoman Catholics, 25% areEvangelicalProtestants, 15% report that theydo not have a religion, and 2% declare that they belong to another religion.This survey indicated a decline in the share of Catholics and rise in the share of Protestants and irreligious.A University of Costa Rica survey of 2018 showed similar rates; 52% Catholics, 22% Protestants, 17% irreligious, and 3% other.The rate of secularism is high by Latin American standards.
Due to small, but continuous, immigration from Asia and the Middle East, other religions have grown. The most popular isBuddhism, with about 100,000 practitioners (over 2% of the population).Most Buddhists are members of theHan Chinesecommunity of about 40,000 with some new local converts. There is also a smallMuslimcommunity of about 500 families or 0.001% of the population.
The Sinagoga Shaarei Zion synagogueis nearLa Sabana Metropolitan ParkinSan José. Several homes in the neighborhood east of the park display theStar of Davidand other Jewish symbols.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsclaims more than 35,000 members, and has atemple in San Joséthat served as a regional worship center for Costa Rica.However, they represent less than 1% of the population.
The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Spanish, which features characteristicsdistinct to the country, a form of Central American Spanish. Costa Rica is a linguistically diverse country and home to at least five living local indigenous languages spoken by the descendants of pre-Columbian peoples: Maléku, Cabécar, Bribri, Guaymí, and Buglere.
Of native languages still spoken, primarily in indigenous reservations, the most numerically important are theBribri,Maléku,CabécarandNgäbere languages; some of these have several thousand speakers in Costa Rica while others have a few hundred. Some languages, such asTeribeandBoruca, have fewer than a thousand speakers. TheBuglerelanguage and the closely relatedGuaymíare spoken by some in southeast Puntarenas.
ACreole-Englishlanguage,Jamaicanpatois(also known asMekatelyu), is an English-based Creole language spoken by the Afro-Carib immigrants who have settled primarily in Limón Province along the Caribbean coast.
About 10.7% of Costa Rica's adult population (18 or older) also speaks English, 0.7% French, and 0.3% speaksPortugueseor German as a second language.
Costa Rica was the point where theMesoamericanand South American native cultures met. The northwest of the country, the Nicoya peninsula, was the southernmost point ofNahuatlcultural influence when the Spanish conquerors (conquistadores) came in the 16th century. The central and southern portions of the country hadChibchainfluences. The Atlantic coast, meanwhile, was populated with African workers during the 17th and 18th centuries.
As a result of the immigration of Spaniards, their 16th-century Spanish culture and its evolution marked everyday life and culture until today, with the Spanish language and the Catholic religion as primary influences.
The Department of Culture, Youth, and Sports is in charge of the promotion and coordination of cultural life. The work of the department is divided into the Direction of Culture, Visual Arts, Scenic Arts, Music, Patrimony, and the System of Libraries. Permanent programs, such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica and the Youth Symphony Orchestra, are conjunctions of two areas of work: Culture and Youth.
Dance-oriented genres, such assoca,salsa,bachata,merengue,cumbiaand Costa Rican swing, are enjoyed increasingly by older rather than younger people. The guitar is popular, especially as an accompaniment to folk dances; however, the marimba was made the national instrument.
In November 2017,National Geographicmagazine named Costa Rica as the happiest country in the world,and the country routinely ranks high in various happiness metrics.The article included this summary: "Costa Ricans enjoy the pleasure of living daily life to the fullest in a place that mitigates stress and maximizes joy".It is not surprising then that one of the most recognizable phrases among "Ticos" is "Pura Vida", pure life in a literal translation. It reflects the inhabitant's philosophy of life,denoting a simple life, free of stress, a positive, relaxed feeling.The expression is used in various contexts in conversation.Often, people walking down the streets, or buying food at shops say hello by sayingPura Vida. It can be phrased as a question or as an acknowledgment of one's presence. A recommended response to "How are you?" would be "Pura Vida."In that usage, it might be translated as "awesome", indicating that all is very well.When used as a question, the connotation would be "everything is going well?" or "how are you?".
Costa Rica rates 12th on the 2017Happy Planet Indexin the World Happiness Report by the UN;however, the country is said to be the happiest in Latin America. Reasons include the high level of social services, the caring nature of its inhabitants, long life expectancy and relatively low corruption.
Costa Rican cuisine is a blend ofNative American, Spanish, African, and many other cuisines origins. Dishes such as the very traditionaltamaleand many others made of corn are the most representative of its indigenous inhabitants, and similar to other neighboring Mesoamerican countries. Spaniards brought many new ingredients to the country from other lands, especially spices and domestic animals. Later in the 19th century, the African flavor lent its presence with influence from other Caribbean mixed flavors. This is how Costa Rican cuisine today is very varied, with every new ethnic group who had recently become part of the country's population influencing the country's cuisine.
Costa Rica entered theSummer Olympicsfor the first time in 1936.The sistersSilviaandClaudia Pollhave won all four of the country'sOlympic Medalsfor swimming; one Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze.
Footballis the most popular sport in Costa Rica. Thenational teamhas played in fiveFIFA World Cuptournaments and reached the quarter-finals for the first time in2014.Its best performance in the regionalCONCACAF Gold Cupwas runner-up in2002.Paulo Wanchope, a forward who played for three clubs in England'sPremier Leaguein the late 1990s and early 2000s, is credited with enhancing foreign recognition of Costa Rican football.Costa Rica, along withPanama, was granted the hosting rights of 2020FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which was postponed until 2021, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.On 17 November 2020,FIFAannounced that the event would be held in Costa Rica in 2022.
As of late 2021,Costa Rica's women's national volleyball teamhas been the top team inCentral America's AFECAVOL (Asociación de Federaciones CentroAmericanas de Voleibol) zone.Costa Rica featured a women's national team inbeach volleyballthat competed at the2018–2020 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is approximately 97 percent and English is widely spoken primarily due to Costa Rica's tourism industry.When the army was abolished in 1949, it was said that the "army would be replaced with an army of teachers".Universalpublic educationis guaranteed in the constitution; primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and secondary school are free. Students who finish 11th grade receive a Costa Rican Bachillerato Diploma accredited by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education.
There are both state and private universities. The state-fundedUniversity of Costa Ricahas been awarded the title "Meritorious Institution of Costa Rican Education and Culture" and hosts around 25,000 students who study at numerous campuses established around the country.
A 2016 report by the U.S. government report identifies the current challenges facing the education system, including the high dropout rate among secondary school students. The country needs even more workers who are fluent in English and languages such as Portuguese, Mandarin, and French. It would also benefit from more graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, according to the report.Costa Rica was ranked 70th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
According to theUNDP, in 2010, thelife expectancyat birth for Costa Ricans was 79.3 years.TheNicoya Peninsulais considered one of theBlue Zonesin the world, where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years.TheNew Economics Foundation(NEF) ranked Costa Rica first in its 2009Happy Planet Index, and once again in 2012. The index measures the health and happiness they produce per unit of environmental input.According to NEF, Costa Rica's lead is due to its very highlife expectancywhich is second highest inthe Americas, and higher than the United States. The country also experienced well-being higher than many richer nations and a per capitaecological footprintone-third the size of the United States'.
In 2002, there were 0.58 new general practitioner (medical) consultations 0.33 new specialist consultations per capita, and a hospital admission rate of 8.1%. Preventive health care is also successful. In 2002, 96% of Costa Rican women used some form of contraception, andantenatal careservices were provided to 87% of all pregnant women. All children under one have access to well-baby clinics, and the immunization coverage rate in 2020 was above 95% for all antigens.Costa Rica has a very lowmalariaincidence of 48 per 100,000 in 2000 and no reported cases ofmeaslesin 2002. The perinatal mortality rate dropped from 12.0 per 1000 in 1972 to 5.4 per 1000 in 2001.
Costa Rica has been cited as Central America's great health success story.Its healthcare system is ranked higher than that of the United States, despite Costa Rica's much lower GDP.Before 1940, government hospitals and charities provided most health care. But since the 1941 creation of the Social Insurance Administration (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social– CCSS), Costa Rica has provideduniversal health careto its wage-earning residents, with coverage extended to dependants over time. In 1973, the CCSS took over administration of all 29 of the country's public hospitals and all health care, also launching a Rural Health Program (Programa de Salud Rural) for primary care in rural areas, later extended to primary care services nationwide. In 1993, laws were passed to enable elected health boards that represented health consumers, social insurance representatives, employers, and social organizations. By 2000, social health insurance coverage was available to 82% of the Costa Rican population. Each health committee manages an area equivalent to one of the 83 administrative cantons of Costa Rica. There is limited use of private, for-profit services (around 14.4% of the national total health expenditure). About 7% of GDP is allocated to the health sector, and over 70% is government-funded.
Primary health care facilities in Costa Rica include health clinics, with ageneral practitioner, nurse, clerk, pharmacist, and a primary health technician. In 2008, there were five specialty national hospitals, three general national hospitals, seven regional hospitals, 13 peripheral hospitals, and 10 major clinics serving as referral centers for primary care clinics, which also deliver biopsychosocial services, family and community medical services, and promotion and prevention programs. Patients can choose private health care to avoid waiting lists.
Costa Rica is among the Latin American countries that have become popular destinations formedical tourism.In 2006, Costa Rica received 150,000 foreigners that came for medical treatment.Costa Rica is particularly attractive to Americans due to geographic proximity, high quality of medical services, and lower medical costs.
In the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Costa Rica is one of 22 countries with a GHI score of less than 5.
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