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COSTA RICA's LAND, HISTORY AND PEOPLE
The Lay of the Land

 

Costa Rica occupies a territory of about 20,000 square miles in the southern part of Central America, and includes several small islands, mostly on the Pacific side. It is much like the state of Florida with two long coastlines. The country is only about 200 miles long and 70 miles wide at its narrowest part.

Costa Rica is often compared to Switzerland and Hawaii because of its mountains and forests. The country's three mountain ranges create five geographically diverse areas, the Northern Central Plains, the Northwest Peninsula, the Tropical Lowlands on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and the Central Valley where 70 percent of the population resides. The country is divided into seven provinces: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Puntarenas, Limón and San José.

Unlike many areas of Mexico, Central and South America, Costa Rica remains beautiful and warm year-round. This is partly because it borders the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and has a string of towering volcanoes on the Central Plateau. Combine all this and you have a unique tropical paradise with 11 climatic zones.

Costa Rica General Information

Capital San José
Population 4,000,000 aprox.
Size 19,730 square miles
Quality of Life Excellent(good weather,
friendly people, affordable)
Official language Spanish
(English is widely spoken)
Political System Democracy
Currency Colón
Investment Climate Good-many opportunities
Per capita income $3,700
Official Religion Catholicism
Foreign Population
(U.S., Canadian and European)
Over 50,000
Longevity 77.49 is almost as high the U.S.
Literacy 95%
Time Central Standard (U.S.)

 

Central America Maps

Central America Map

 

Weather - Costa Rica's Unique History in Brief - Government - Economy - The People

From "The New Golden Door to retirement and Living in Costa Rica" by Christopher Howard.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this article may be reproduced without written permission of the authors and copyright owner.
 

"Baby boomers are redefining retirement - and leading the move to a new generation of dream countries"

AARP Magazine

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The Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica

Christopher Howard's The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Cost Rica, is important when doing research about moving to Costa Rica.

By Hillary Chura
New York Times
July 30, 2005

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Costa Rica Relocation and Retirement Tours - the first logical step to making the move to Costa Rica

 
Retirement communities in Costa Rica, Active adult Community
 
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