Costa Rica Main Facts

Name: Republic of Costa Rica

Location: Central America, south of Nicaragua and North of Panama

Capital: San Jose

Land Area: 51,200 km sq   Sea Area: Around  540,000 km sq

Population: 4.5 millions of costa ricans plus around 600,000 permanent residents ( 2005 estimation )

Main Cities: San Jose ( 1,2 MM ), Alajuela ( 0,4 MM ), Heredia ( 0,35 MM ), Cartago ( 0,3 MM ), Liberia ( 0,25 MM ), Puntarenas ( 0,2 MM ), Limon ( 0,2 MM )

Administrative division: 7 provinces: San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon and Puntarenas. 81 counties and 463 districts.

Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon, in the tourism industry, and  for many professionals in the Central Valley.  Many other languages like Italian, French, German and Mandarin are practice on main tourist destinies.

Religions: Roman Catholic (official state religion) 85 percent. Other Protestant faiths are practiced, and there is a small Jewish community. Is possible to practice any other major religion.

Education: Free and compulsory through the end of the 9th year. Over 90% of population is alphabetized.

Official Holidays: January 1st New Year, Holy Thursday & Friday, April 11th The Rivas Battle Memorial, May 1st Work Day, July 25th Annexion of Guanacaste  Party Memorial, August 15th Mother`s Day, September 15th Independence Day, December 25th Christmas Day.     

Infant mortality rate: 11.6 per 1,000 live births

Life expectancy: 77.49 years male, 79.52 years female

Total fertility rate: 2 children per woman ( 2006 estimation )

Ethnic divisions: white (including mestizo) 96 percent, Black 2 percent, Indian 1 percent, Chinese 1 percent

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system, judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Direct election : democratic republic with many options between Right, Center Right, Left and Center Left parties. The Most important parties are PLN, PUSC, PAC, Libertarios and Patriotic Union.

Elections held every four years.

Tourism Seasons: High: from December 16th to April 30. Plus July and August. Green: May and June. Plus September to December 15th. Peak: Week 52 and Easter.

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