Costa Rica is a tropical country which contains several distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most regions have a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April.
Description
The country is divided by a backbone of volcanoes and mountains, an extension of the Andes-Sierra Madre chain which runs along the western side of the Americas. Costa Rica has four distinct cordilleras or mountain ranges -- Guanacaste and Tilaran in the north, Central and Talamanca in the south. Costa Rica is part of the Pacific "Rim of Fire" and has seven of the isthmus's 42 active volcanoes plus dozens of dormant or extinct cones. Earth tremors and small quakes shake the country from time to time. The last major quake hit on April 22, 1991. Centered on the Caribbean side southeast of San Jose, it measured 7.4 on the Richter scale. The country's highest point is Mt. Chirripo (3,797 meters). The capital, San Jose, and the neighboring major cities of Alajuela and Heredie lies in the middle of the Meseta Central (Central Valley). Almost two-thirds of the nation's population live in this small, fertile valley. The Pacific coastal plain is much narrower than its Caribbean counterpart. Both coasts are lined with white and black sand beaches.Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange.
Local Information
The colón is the official currency of Costa Rica. One colón equals 100 cents. Coin denominations are 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, and 500 colones; bills come in 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10,000 colones denominations.The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish, but English is widely spoken in the resort areas. Visitors will find bus services to everywhere in the Costa Rica. For instance, buses to Puerto Limón and the Caribbean region leave from a modern bus terminal called "La gran terminal del Caribe" (The Great Caribbean Terminal), located on Central Street, between Avenues 15 and 17. Costa Rica is an absolute paradise in matters of beaches. The coastline has a length of over 1800 km with a never-ending variety of beaches for any possible taste. There are rocky and stony beaches, sandy beaches with white, gray, bluish black, tan, and pink colored sand.
Airport Information
Commercial international flights to Costa Rica currently land either at the Juan Santamaría International Airport, located ten miles from downtown San José, or at the Daniel Oduber International airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. Costa Rica is serviced by numerous major carriers, with service originating from various points in Europe, the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South America. Airlines with direct flights to Costa Rica include Continental, American, Delta, United, Iberia, KLM, British Airways, Grupo Taca, Copa, Cubana, Avianca, and Mexicana.
Hightlights
If you come and tour Costa Rica once, travel its beaches, explore the flora, fauna and adventure the rainforests by booking some tours to the beautiful places, you will fill your heart with its beauty and adventurous spirit, and you may not want to live anywhere else on the planet.
Local Weather
Costa Rica has a unique climate, which favors the fertility and lush beauty of the country, as well as its inhabitants' comfort. There are two seasons: rainy from May through November, and dry from December through April. The temperature varies more according to elevation and location than to the season. On the central plateau, the temperature ranges between 22°C and 27°C (72°F and 81°F), and in San José the average temperature is 23°C (73°F). On the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the average temperature is 32°C (90°F). The highlands, such as Mount Chirripo, experience temperatures down to 10°C (50°F). Any time of the year you visit Costa Rica, you can enjoy good weather.
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