Costa Rica

costaricaCosta Rica is located in Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea on the eastern side and the Pacific Ocean on the western side. Its population is 4.8 million, and the name of its capital city is San Jose. The country comprises several islands out of which Calero is the largest island. Costa Rica enjoys international reputation in terms of its high ratings on democracy, Human Development Index, Environmental Performance Index, Happy Planet Index, and tourism not to mention its rich biodiversity of plants and animals.

Costa Rica comprises seven administrative provinces, which are divided into 81 cantons. The cantons are sub-divided into 473 districts.  Main climate of Costa Rica is tropical throughout the year with distinct dry and wet seasons, considered locally as summer and winter respectively.  However, the country has a variety of micro-climates that vary with the terrain and location. There is both high rain and humidity on the Caribbean coastal area.

Acknowledgements

  • Authored by M. Kalim Qamar (September 2013)
  • Edited by Burton E. Swanson