|
Did you know . . . . Costa Rica is located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Christopher Columbus landed at what is today known as Puerto Limon in 1502. He named it Costa Rica or "rich coast" thinking that it was loaded with precious metals. Although precious metals were never found here, the name is fitting for it's natural beauty. There are approximately 5 million people in this country, two-thirds of which live in the capital city of San Jose. They strongly support education, which attributes to their 97% literacy rate. Most Costa Ricans speak at least three languages. The people of Costa Rica are peace-loving and because of their progressive values and attitudes, they have been a big part in stabilizing their region. The government is democratic with a president as the executive power. The Civil Guard serves as their police force. For the past 100 years, the country has known only two very short military regimes. After a Civil War in 1948, the president abolished the army and limited the president to one term. It was a region that had been plagued by civil wars, abuse of human rights and dictatorships. Because of the forward thinking of then President Figueres, this nation has been a fairly stable democracy. The 1949 Constitution included a progressive labor code, a system of social security and a set of social guarantees that gave the average citizen rights that were ahead of their time. Costa Rica is home to the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. There are hundreds of species of birds, animals and plants. |
