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Costa Rica

✨ The green paradise of Pura Vida

Costa Rica is a country in Central America, located between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast. It covers about 51,100 km² and has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest urban center is San José, situated in the Central Valley, a highland region surrounded by mountains.

The country’s relief is largely shaped by several mountain ranges, including the Cordillera de Guanacaste, the Cordillera de Tilarán and the Cordillera Central. This varied terrain, together with a tropical climate influenced by altitude and proximity to two oceans, creates important differences in temperature and rainfall from one region to another.

Costa Rica is known for its exceptional biological diversity. Although its territory is relatively small, it contains a remarkable variety of ecosystems, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, dry forests, wetlands, mangroves and coastal habitats. These environments support thousands of plant and animal species, such as monkeys, sloths, toucans, sea turtles and many amphibians.

Protected areas cover a substantial part of the country and play an important role in conserving forests and wildlife. Costa Rica also has numerous volcanoes, several of which are active or potentially active, including Arenal, Poás and Turrialba. Agriculture, tourism and services are important parts of its economy, while the country has also invested strongly in renewable electricity, producing most of its power from renewable sources in many recent years.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that Costa Rica has not had an army since 1948? It is very rare for a country! Instead of spending money on soldiers and weapons, the government prefers to use that money to build schools and protect nature. This is why Costa Rica is considered one of the most peaceful and happiest countries in the world.

If you go to Costa Rica, you will hear the expression 'Pura Vida' all the time. It literally means 'Pure Life,' but locals use it for everything: to say hello, goodbye, thank you, or to say that everything is fine. It is a true philosophy that invites being optimistic, respecting nature, and appreciating simple things like a beautiful sunset or a bird's song.

The sloth is the country's star animal. It is so slow that it takes about two weeks to digest a single meal! It spends almost its entire life hanging from branches because its muscles are not made for walking on the ground. In Costa Rica, people take great care of them: there are even special bridges over the roads so that sloths can cross safely.