Looking for some interesting facts about Costa Rica? Then you’re in the right place because we’re going to tell you some cool things about Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a great place to visit and learn about a lot of interesting things. Read on to learn more about the country in Central America.
Costa Rica used to be a part of Spain.
This is a simple but interesting fact about Costa Rica that is also pretty important. In 1502, Christopher Columbus sailed to what is now Costa Rica. After more than 300 years, in 1821, it became independent, but it wasn’t fully independent until 1838.
But it never fought to get rid of Spain.
Nope. Costa Rica, like other Central American countries, didn’t have to fight Spain directly to get its independence. After the Mexican War of Independence beat Spain, there was a kind of independence.
There is no army in Costa Rica.
This is one of the most interesting things about Costa Rica. After the Costa Rican Civil War, which lasted 44 days and killed 2,000 people, the country decided to get rid of its army in 1948. Permanently. They have police and people who watch the borders, but no real military. This is crazy when you think that Panama and Nicaragua are right next to them.
Costa Rica is Spanish for “Rich Coast.”
When Christopher Columbus first got there, on his last trip, he said that the natives wore a lot of jewellery and gold around their necks and shoulders. Spanish conquistador Gil Gonzalez de Avila corroborated his stories. So, people began calling it “La Costa Rica,” which means “the rich coast.”
Costa Rica wasn’t very wealthy Initially.
Spain didn’t go there because there wasn’t much silver and gold there (relatively speaking). Also, there weren’t many native people to make slaves of. This meant that the Spanish and European settlers who moved there didn’t have anyone to do their dirty work for them, so they had to do it themselves. Because of this, Costa Rica is now the unique democracy that everyone knows and loves.
Most of Costa Rica’s energy comes from natural resources
I love this so much, and it’s one of the most interesting things about Costa Rica. Yes, this Central American country is very good for the environment. By 2016, 98.1% of its energy will come from renewable sources, which is a huge amount. In 2009, they were thought to be the greenest country in the world, and by 2021, they want to have no carbon emissions at all. Awesome.
Coffee is a big deal in Costa Rica.
People there love coffee, which is one of the most interesting things about the country. In the 20th century, coffee was their main source of income. This led to the rise of “coffee barons,” who were similar to oil barons but made their money from coffee instead. This was a big reason why the economy of the country grew. Visit a coffee farm if you’re in Costa Rica. It’s one of the best things to do there.
Costa Rica has the most stable government.
It may have had a military dictator and a civil war in the early 20th century, but since then, Costa Rica has held 16 peaceful presidential elections in a row. It’s a big difference from many other Central or even South American countries.
Costa Rica is a place with a lot of earthquakes.
One interesting fact about Costa Rica is that it has 14 volcanoes, but only 6 of them are active. Irazu is the tallest at 11,260 feet above sea level, and it hasn’t erupted since 1994. Costa Rica has a lot of earthquakes because it has a lot of active volcanoes.
Chinese thought Costa Rica was Puntarenas
Well, some did. This is because in 1873, a so-called “Chinese colony” moved to Puntarenas. People started to hear more and more about the settlement, and many thought that their neighbours and friends of friends were moving to Puntarenas, not Costa Rica.
Half of the Costa Rica are National Parks.
One of my favourite things about Costa Rica is that 25% of its land is made up of national parks and nature reserves. The average for developed countries is 13%, but the average for the whole world is only 8%.
Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to protect nature. There are big cats, monkeys, tapirs, and so much more in Corcovado National Park, and that’s just one park.
Costa Rica has a rate of almost 0% of trees being cut down.
Wow. Now, this is one of those fun and really cool facts about Costa Rica. Even more amazing about these Costa Rica facts is that the country used to have some of the worst deforestation rates (especially between 1973 and 1979). By 2012, it was almost 0. Those green qualifications.
Costa Rica, soda doesn’t mean what we drink
Most places in the world know soda as a soft drink with carbonation. But in Costa Rica, soda is not at all what you think it is. Sodas are small restaurants on the side of the road or in small towns where you can get good food at a fair price.
Rice, beans, and chicken can fill you up for as little as $3. See more Costa Rica travel tips here. In Costa Rica, you can also get great vegan and vegetarian food.