Costa Rica

1101 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Important information about costa rica essay

Cost Rica
Costa Rica lies in the tropics and originated as a land of peaceful people and lush ecosystems. The Costa Rica of today is much different than a simple ideal tourist location. It is a country that ranks among the world’s highest in biodiversity. In addition, there is no separation between church and state. It is a country with a woman president and no army. The economy of Costa Rica is challenged on a daily basis and the education of its residents is recognizable. The purpose of this paper is to introduce readers to the many unique facets of the small Spanish speaking country of Costa Rica. My intent is to present information about the country’s geographical facts, biodiversity and ecotourism, religion, education, government and economical status.

Costa Rica has mountains, green tropical forests and fertile soil. “Its name, meaning rich coast in Spanish, came from explorers who heard tales of precious metals in the region. However, the land had little mineral wealth.” (The World Book encyclopedia of people and places 306) Costa Rica is located in Central America on the continent of North America. It is bordered by Nicaragua, Panama, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It has elevations that exceed 12,500 feet and displays 12 different climatic zones. The country has a variety of natural hazards including occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along the Atlantic coast and frequent flooding of lowlands at the beginning of the rainy season. Costa Rica has mountain ranges that stretch the length of the entire country. Many of the mountains have thick vegetation and when the air moves over the mountains it cools and creates rain and keeps the lush forests wet and green.
In addition, many sections of the country lie...

... middle of paper ...

...rican countries have forests that supply a variety of lumber, Costa Rica is known for its concern and protection efforts to preserve its forests. Despite the abundance of farming in Costa Rica, “Tourism earns more foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined.” (Neal 554)

In summary, the small country of Costa Rica has always been a highly sought after vacation spot. However, the influx of drugs and the deforestation have caused tourists, including myself, to question the desirability. Nonetheless, according to Forbes, Costa Rica is “The Happiest Place on Earth. Its national conservation policies, small ecological footprint, high quality of life and life expectancy rate are all exceedingly above par.”(Greenstein) I feel that Costa Rica would be an intriguing place to visit because of its vibrant landscapes and the abundance of incredible Catholic Churches.

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast The United States And Costa Rica Constitutions

    2059 Words  | 5 Pages

    The physical science of the two countries is completely different. According to the main speaker, Costa Rica is much smaller than the United States. It could actually fit in the state of Oklahoma about two and a half times (Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 2010). The population is a little different too. Costa Rica’s population is around 4.5 million, compared to Oklahoma which has approximately 3.4 million.

    Read More

  • Comparing Costa Rica And Boniers

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    Costa Rica is covered in huge jungles. Reminding me of the movie Tarzan, the jungles are full of monkeys, macaws, and many other curious creatures. Another interesting thing about Costa Rica was the beach. On the pacific side of the country, the sand is muddy and black. Even though the dark sand made the ocean look dirty, it made the white sea shells shine exceedingly bright. One of the scariest parts about Costa Rica was the reptiles. It seems that every river was full of enormous crocodiles. Although the lush, green jungle was a beautiful sight to see, Bonaire had even prettier views. Since it is located in the Caribbean, the island of Bonaire is surrounded by the most gorgeous turquoise water. The ocean was definitely the prettiest part of the island. The main terrain of Bonaire is desert. Unlike Costa Rica, there are hardly any trees. The island is covered in rocks and cactus. Because of the lack of vegetation, there were very few animals that thrive. For example, donkeys and finches were some of the only animals I saw on the island. Just like Costa Rica, Bonaire has a reptile problem. Thankfully, the reptiles in Bonaire were much nicer. Iguanas ruled the island. They were everywhere. After vacationing in Costa Rica and Bonaire, I realized that both have extraordinary

    Read More

  • Honduras

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    Where is Honduras located? What are some main landforms? What food do Hondurans eat? What language do Hondurans speak? How did Honduras become Honduras? These are all questions you might have, and in this paper all will be answered. You will learn more about the geography, society, people, their lifestyles, and the history of Honduras.

    Read More

  • United Fruit in Costa Rica

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    To understand the machinations of General Guardia, we must first look briefly at Costa Rica’s historical situation. As noted by innumerable books and articles on the subject, the term “Costa Rica” was something of a misnomer for the country until the coffee-boom of the 1830s and 40s. The “rich coast” was named, as legend has it, by Christopher Columbus himself after landing there in 1502 and seeing natives adorned with gold. Ironically, the natives witnessed by Columbus were not natives at all, but invading members of the Carib tribe that had brought their own gold to this relatively poor place. True to form, Columbus displayed a stunning misinterpretation of the facts and coined the site “Costa Rica” (Watkins). This “discovery” in 1502 would, as in the rest of Latin America, herald the end of life as the indigenous knew it. For the next 300 years Costa Rica would find itself under Spanish control, yet this burden was significantly lightened by the absence of riches the Europeans craved. These long centuries under Spanish influence would find Costa Rica in the position of the periphery, relatively spared from the harsh rule often employed in more profitable sectors.

    Read More

  • guatemala

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    Guatemala’s culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala’s population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas, and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya, which has retained a distinct identity. Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala’s history (Guatemalan Culture and History).

    Read More

  • dominican republic

    605 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Family is the most important thing in the world.” ~ Princess Diana. The Dominican Republic is a diverse country in the Caribbean. It shares many of the same values and norms as the United States. In order to fully understand Dominican Republic families it is important to look at their structure, traditions, and values.

    Read More

  • Chile

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    CHILE in 1541 and claimed the land under the crown of Spain. He founded the

    Read More

  • A study of Costa Rican Exceptionalism within the realm of state formation

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is the guiding proposition of this paper that the aforementioned Exceptionalism is due to a combination of visionary state building efforts on the part of local political actors, and a series of fortuitous circumstances present in the early stages of the process. The paper has been divided into SEVEN sections, each with subtitle in the form of a name of an important figure from Costa Rica’s collective historical memory. This division seeks to allow for the reader to navigate the different stages in the formation of the Costa Rican state with ease, but also to illustrate the way in which these notable individuals became symbols of their epoch and, more importantly, of their legacy and the impact their actions had on the formation of a national identity.

    Read More

  • Nicaragua

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the west is a great basin, or depression, containing two lakes, Nicaragua, the largest in Central America, and Managua. The two are connected by the Tipitapa River. A chain of volcanoes, which are a contributory cause of local earthquakes, rise between the lakes and the Pacific coast. In the east, the Caribbean coastal plain known as the Costa de mosquitoes (Mosquito Coast) extends some 45 mi. inland and is partly overgrown with rain forest.

    Read More

  • History of Costa Rica

    2396 Words  | 5 Pages

    Human habitation can be traced back more than 10,000 years but it appears Costa Rica was sparsely populated and a relative backwater in the pre-Columbian era. There is little sign of major communities and none of the impressive stone architecture that characterized the more advanced civilizations of Mesoamerica to the north and the Andes to the south. When Columbus arrived near Lim¢¢n on September 18, 1502 on his third and last voyage to the Americas, there were probably no more than 20,000 indigenous inhabitants They lived in several autonomous tribes, all with distinct cultures and customs. Costa Rica's only major archaeological site is at Guayabo, 30 miles east of San Jos‚‚, where an ancient city, dating back to 1000 B.C. and though to have contained 10,000 people at its peak, is currently being excavated. Many interesting gold, jade and pottery artefacts have been found throughout the region and are on display in several museums in San Jose.

    Read More

  • Poverty In Costa Rica

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Costa Rica is a small, democratic country, located in Central America. Nicaragua is to the north of Costa Rica and Panama to the south and it is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country is very small, only about 32,000 square miles and is slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia (CIA, para. 2 2013). This beautiful country only covers about 0.03% of the earth’s surface, yet contains about 5% of the biodiversity in the world (Visit Costa Rica, para. 2). The climate is tropical and subtropical and has four volcanoes, two of which are still active (CIA, 2013, para. 2).

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Costa Rica Nightlife

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    There’s no denying that Costa Rica’s best highlights are best enjoyed during the day; between the incredible National Parks, sublime beaches and endless myriad of adrenalin-pumping activities, most visitors are usually not left with much energy at the end of the day. Or so one would think. But in reality, being on vacation, away from the pressures of everyday life, and in the midst of one of the world’s most spectacular countries, has a way of re-energizing even the most exhausted adventurer.

    Read More

  • Influence of Political Institutions on Developing Countries

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    Costs Rica is a small country in Latin America that contains less than five million people

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Individualism In Costa Rica

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    feminine and uncertainty avoidance. Power distance means less powerful members and within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. As of Latin American countries, Costa Rica has the lowest dimensions in the region a score of 35. Reason for this, because most of Latin America were ruled by military rule, but as for Costa Rica they abolished their army in 1948. In efforts to end the civil war in central American but also to receive peace. Individualism; the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. For individualism Costa Rica scored a 15 same as all the Latin American countries, they all share qualities of trust, loyalty, close relationships and communication. Costa Rica is very high on helping others in their own community and they highly value trust with people in their family/community. Then there is masculinity vs feminine; motivating people to be the best or liking what you do. Costa Rica is known to be the most feminine society in Latin America, geared towards women in society. In 1948 suffrage for women was introduced and most students are female. Uncertainty avoidance; members of a culture fell threatened by ambiguous or unknown

    Read More

  • Belize

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...o the structure given by Great Britain when Belize was still under colonial rule, there has been a struggle to transform from a low industry exporter of natural resources to a respectable world player. The dynamics of multiple ethnic groups identifying Belize as home has added problems. With the unwillingness of Guatemala to recognize the legitimacy of Belize has caused uncertainty about the potential for violence. Each of the challenges that Belize confronts and deals with successfully serves to better equip them as a country to succeed independently. As an English speaking nation on the Caribbean coast the development of tourism helps to expand the understanding of other nations to the potential of this small country. By cultivating a citizen centered government, Belize can continue to meet and defeat the challenges of participating in a modern global community.

    Read More

More about Costa Rica

Open Document