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19 Interesting Facts About Costa Rica

If you know anything at all about Costa Rica, you’re likely aware that it’s tropical, beautiful, and a great place to go on a honeymoon. You may also know that it has some of the world’s best surfing and sport fishing.

Here are 19 lesser known facts about Costa Rica that show why this popular expat destination is worth a second look, whether merely for a visit or as a potential place to start the next chapter of your life.

1.  There is no official military in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica abolished its armed forces in 1949 and has no standing military; however, the country still maintains a small force to enforce laws and assist with foreign peacekeeping.

2. Costa Rica welcomes over 2 million visitors annually. 

Since 1994, tourism has been Costa Rica’s leading industry with over two million visitors arriving every year.

3. Costa Rica is home to 6 active and 61 dormant, or extinct, volcanoes.

Arenal Volcano, at 5,479 feet (1,670 m), last erupted in 2010. It is the most active volcano in Costa Rica and one of the most active in the world. In 1968, Arenal erupted and destroyed the town of Tabacón.

4. Natives Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos and Ticas.

Costa Ricans affectionately call themsleves Ticos and Ticas after their linguistic tendency to add the diminutive “tico” to the end of many words. This suffix may refer to smallness, but also implies fondness or affection.

5. Costa Rica is one of the top 20 countries in the world for biodiversity.

While Costa Rica represents only .03% of the earth’s land mass, it possesses fully 4% of all known living species of flora and faunas.

6. Costa Rica grows a world class cup of Joe.

Coffee was introduced to Costa Rica from Jamaica in 1779 and now there are over 247,104 acres of coffee plants growing in Costa Rica, making it the 13th largest coffee exporter in the world.

7. You will pay with “flour” when shopping in Costa Rica.

Not really.  The official currency is  called the colón, but Costa Ricans often use the word harina (flour) to refer to their money as well.

8. The Central Valley has a history of witchcraft.

The most famous place in Costa Rica for witchcraft is Escazú where it’s rumored that people continue to practice their rituals in mountain caves. Today Escazú is a rich suburb of the capital, San José, where you can find brujas (witches) offering tarot card readings and more.

9. Isla del Coco is the most remote and largest uninhabited island of Costa Rica.

This island is nearly 360 miles into the Pacific Ocean, southwest of the mainland.  You might have seen this island in the opening credits of the Steven Spielberg film “Jurassic Park.”

10. It’s not a big deal to see someone walking around with a machete in Costa Rica.

Costa Ricans use machetes for everything and often keep one on them. They’re considered the Costa Rican equivalent of duct tape and are just as common in the countryside.

11. Costa Rica is slightly smaller than Lake Michigan.

Costa Rica is about the size of West Virginia and has approximately 19,730 square miles, 801 miles of coastline, and population of around 4.1 million people.

12. Every Costa Rican radio station plays the national anthem each morning at 7 a.m.

Radio 107.5 FM, the country’s only all-English radio stations offers rock from all of the decades. Super Radio 102.3 specializes in the oldies. Radio 95.5 plays jazz and fusion.

13. Ice cream flavors in Costa Rica are interesting, bordering on weird.

Popular flavors include coconut, goat cheese, wild blackberry, peanut, chipotle blueberry, chocolate almond, and more.

14. “Pura Vida” is a happy, feel-good expression.

“Pura Vida” is used regularly by the locals when asked how they are, or in passing to say “hello” or “goodbye.”

15. Costa Ricans enjoy a life expectancy of 79, one of the highest in the world.

The country also receives international praise for its modern healthcare system, where it’s ranked 36th in the world by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s seven Blue Zones, a place where people live longer and happier lives, with a high concentration of people over age 100.

16. Eco-tourism is leading the way in Costa Rica. 

With its abundant natural resources, diverse landscape, exotic marine life, and rich biodiversity, Costa Rica is leading the eco-tourism boom.  In 1995, tourism overtook bananas to become Costa Rica’s leading foreign exchange earner.

17. Costa Rica is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

UNESCO has designated four locations in Costa Rica as World Heritage Sites for their universal cultural and natural value. They are La Amistad National Park, Cocos Island National Park, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, and the Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diquís.

18. Costa Rica is one of few Latin America nations to have street signs.

In 2012, Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose undertook a $1 million project to reintroduce street signs and a more regulated postal system. Before that locals used landmarks to give directions.

19. Costa Rica ranks #1 on the Happy Planet Index. 

The Happy Planet Index uses three criteria—life expectancy, experienced well-being, and Ecological Footprint—to determine the overall happiness levels of 151 countries across the globe. With a score of 64.0, Costa Rica tops this list. The United States, for comparison has an index of 37.3.

So the next time you find yourself in Costa Rica, you won’t be caught off guard when you hear one of the expressions mentioned in #7 or #14. Make sure you plan a trip to one of the sites in #17, and–unless you want to look like a tourist–don’t lose your mind when you witness #10!

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