Costa Rica

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance from Indigenous populations, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two-and-a-half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica was one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. <br><br>Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. General Federico TINOCO Granados led a coup in 1917, but the threat of US intervention pushed him to resign in 1919. In 1948, landowner Jose FIGUERES Ferrer raised his own army and rebelled against the government. The brief civil war ended with an agreement to allow FIGUERES to remain in power for 18 months, then step down in favor of the previously elected Otilio ULATE. FIGUERES was later elected twice in his own right, in 1953 and 1970. <br><br>Costa Rica experienced destabilizing waves of refugees from Central American civil wars in the 1970s and 1980s, but peace in the region has since helped the economy rebound.  Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries.

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than West Virginia

1,290 km

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes

hydropower

1,015 sq km (2012)

roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> Arenal (1,670 m) is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city, as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)

Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)

0.75% (2025 est.)

10.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population

1.462 million SAN JOSE (capital) (2023)

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.71 (2025 est.)

2.69 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

25.7% (2016)

2.9% (2018 est.)

41.7% (2022 est.)

deforestation, largely from clearing land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

15.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

113 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

presidential republic

7 provinces (<em>provincias</em>, singular - <em>provincia</em>); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

civil law system based on Spanish civil code; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE<br>Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA<br>Citizen Action Party or PAC<br>Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC<br>Here Costa Rica Commands Party or ACRM<br>Liberal Progressive Party or PLP <br>Libertarian Movement Party or ML<br>National Integration Party or PIN<br>National Liberation Party or PLN<br>National Restoration Party or PRN<br>New Generation or PNG<br>New Republic Party or PNR<br>Social Christian Republican Party or PRSC<br>Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC of UNIDAD<br>Social Democratic Progress Party or PPSD

ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

<strong>description:</strong> five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double-width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk placed toward the left side of the red band<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the blue is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance; the white for peace, happiness, and wisdom; and the red for the blood shed for freedom, as well as Costa Ricans' generosity and vibrancy<br><br><strong>history: </strong>Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutions in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors by adding a central red stripe

yiguirro (clay-colored thrush)

blue, white, red

the Costa Rican coat of arms highlights the country&rsquo;s natural beauty and history; three volcanoes, each topped with a white cloud, are surrounded with water, symbolizing the seaports of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; the rising sun in the background stands for the birth of a new nation, and the seven white stars for the country's provinces; the two merchant ships carrying Costa Rica&rsquo;s flag are a reminder of the maritime trade that shaped the country's history

trade-based upper middle-income economy; green economy leader, having reversed deforestation; investing in blue economy infrastructure; declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19; lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis

$95.35 billion (2024 est.)

sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, oil palm fruit, milk, fruits, oranges, chicken, cassava, beef (2023)

medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

4.1% (2024 est.)

2.357 million (2024 est.)

24.4% (2023 est.)

13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

USA 40%, Netherlands 6%, China 5%, Guatemala 4%, Belgium 3% (2023)

medical instruments, integrated circuits, orthopedic appliances, bananas, tropical fruits (2023)

USA 38%, China 15%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 3%, Guatemala 3% (2023)

refined petroleum, plastic products, cars, medical instruments, broadcasting equipment (2023)

over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022)

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132 (2025)

8 (2025)

Ministry of Public Security (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Costa Rica): National Police (Fuerza Pública), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea), National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas), Drug Control Police (Policía Control de Drogas), Border Police (Policia de Fronteras), Professional Migration Police (Policía Profesional de Migración)<br><br>Ministry of Presidency: Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Special Intervention Unit (UEI) (2025)

approximately 10-15,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025)

the National Police are lightly armed although small special units are trained and equipped for tactical operations; the US has provided equipment and support to forces such as the Coast Guard, including secondhand US vessels and aircraft (2025)

Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from the US (2025)

Costa Rican Space Agency (ACE; established by legislation in 2021)  (2025)

has a small, recently established program focused on using space to develop the country&rsquo;s economy and industry, including acquiring and using satellites; has built a remote sensing (RS) cube satellite; has relations with US space agencies and commercial space industries, as well as with the ESA and the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)

2018 - first domestically produced remote sensing cube satellite (Irazú) for monitoring tropical forests and climate change launched by US and deployed from the International Space Station<br><br>2021 - signed protocols for newly established Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency; opened US commercial company’s space radar facility for mapping and space situational awareness<br><br>2022 - domestically produced scientific device (Proyecto Musa or Musa Project) launched on European rocket<br><br>2024 - participated in first China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum