Costa Rica Real Estate
Osa Pacific Properties / South Costa Rica / Osa Peninsula Real Estate
The Democratic Republic of Costa Rica is located 10 degrees north of the equator, and 84 degrees west of the Prime Meridian.
Costa Rica is 19,730 square miles in area, or roughly the size of West Virginia or Denmark. Of that total area, the country has designated a full 25% as National Parks and Protected Areas (National Territory). Scattered across this territory are some 58 Wildlife Refuges, 32 Protected Areas, 25 National Parks, 15 Wetland and Mangrove Areas, 11 Forest Reserves, and 8 Biological Reserves. These conservation areas are managed by SINAC, the National System of Conservation Areas, in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment and Energy, known as the Minae. This commitment to protect the environment is something you can experience and enjoy first hand on your visit to Costa Rica. It is unprecedented elsewhere.
The country is bordered by Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the South, the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The Costa Rican countryside has an extensive network of rivers including the waters of the Reventazon, Pacuare, Parismina, Pejibaye, Sarapiqui, Sierpe, and the Mighty Terraba River.
There are two distinct seasons in the country. The summer season is known as Verano, and runs from December through May. There is a limited amount of rainfall during this time. May through November is known as Invierno, and this period is referred to as the rainy season (winter). In the coastal zones, the climate is tropical and subtropical all year round, with beach and water temperatures remaining consistently warm. By contrast, temperatures in the high mountain elevations typically vary from mild to cool, but can actually reach freezing.
The terrain is diverse throughout the country, consisting in part of rugged mountains, rain forests, tropical forests, farm lands, wetlands, and coastal plains. Several islands lay in the waters off the Costa Rica shoreline including Isla Violines, Isla Tortuga, Isla Cano, and Isla del Coco, the largest uninhabited island in the world.
The country declared independence from Spain in 1821, became a democracy in 1899, and drafted a democratic constitution in 1949. With the new constitution, Costa Rica became the first country in the world to abolish its army. It is often referred to as the Switzerland of Central America. The people choose instead to rely on a domestic police and security force, as well as a modern coast guard group. Literacy rates are the highest in all of Central America, at 96%. The country has an elected President who serves a single four year term as both chief of state and head of government. These factors combine to make the country a very stable environment for tourists and investors alike.
In Costa Rica, the workforce consists of 13% agriculture, 22% industry, 64% services, and is spread across a total of 7 provinces, divided into 81 districts (cantons). Major industry in the country consists of tourism, agriculture (coffee, bananas, pineapples, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, beef, timber), and electronic exports. The United States is Costa Ricas largest trading partner. The provinces are San Jose (the capital), Cartago (the former capital), Alajuala and Heredia (central and north of the capital), Guanacaste (an area northwest), Limon (on the Carribean coast), and Puntarenas (along most of the Pacific coast). The predominant language spoken is Spanish, although many in Limon speak a Carribean dialect of English. The population is estimated at 4.13 million (2007). The currency is the Costa Rican colon.
Osa Pacific Properties / South Costa Rica / Osa Peninsula Real Estate
Costa Rica Real Estate