Nearly five centuries ago, an Italian explorer stood on the deck of his ship, scanning the coastline of Central America in search of a passageway to the Indian Ocean. He didn't find what he sought after, but what he did discover in the year 1502 was the country christened Costa Rica, meaning "Rich Coast."
The explorer was Christopher Columbus, who, sailing under the flag of Spain, founded Costa Rica while on his fourth and last voyage to the New World. Impressed by the gold ornaments worn by the native people, he and other explorers had hoped to find the land full of gold ore. Instead, the area yielded little in precious metals. However, Costa Rica is rich in other areas, including its history, beautiful countryside, culture and wildlife. Costa Rica is one of the seven nations that form present-day Central America.
Flanked by the Atlantic's Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, Costa Rica has a line of high, rugged mountain ranges stretching from the Nicaraguan border on the north to the Panamanian border on the southeast.
Among Costa Rica's highest peaks are active volcanoes, including the Irazu Volcano, a lively magma spewer that stands over 11,000 feet above sea level. Irazu has erupted at least 23 times since the early 1700s. Its most famous recent eruption began in 1963 and coincided with the presidential visit of John F. Kennedy.
Lush tropical forests thrive in the lower altitudes along the coast, where the climate is hot and damp. Untouched islands and hidden waterfalls dot the topography of Costa Rica's picturesque landscape.
The majority of Costa Rica's four million inhabitants have settled along the cool, high, central plateau around the capital and largest city, San Jose, where coffee trees dress the hillsides and encircle the city. A great majority of the population is Mestizo and white, and mainly of Spanish descent. Costa Rica also has a small Indian population. Spanish is the official language, and the state religion is Roman Catholicism, although non-Catholic religions also exist freely.
The explorer was Christopher Columbus, who, sailing under the flag of Spain, founded Costa Rica while on his fourth and last voyage to the New World. Impressed by the gold ornaments worn by the native people, he and other explorers had hoped to find the land full of gold ore. Instead, the area yielded little in precious metals. However, Costa Rica is rich in other areas, including its history, beautiful countryside, culture and wildlife. Costa Rica is one of the seven nations that form present-day Central America.
Flanked by the Atlantic's Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, Costa Rica has a line of high, rugged mountain ranges stretching from the Nicaraguan border on the north to the Panamanian border on the southeast.
Among Costa Rica's highest peaks are active volcanoes, including the Irazu Volcano, a lively magma spewer that stands over 11,000 feet above sea level. Irazu has erupted at least 23 times since the early 1700s. Its most famous recent eruption began in 1963 and coincided with the presidential visit of John F. Kennedy.
Lush tropical forests thrive in the lower altitudes along the coast, where the climate is hot and damp. Untouched islands and hidden waterfalls dot the topography of Costa Rica's picturesque landscape.
The majority of Costa Rica's four million inhabitants have settled along the cool, high, central plateau around the capital and largest city, San Jose, where coffee trees dress the hillsides and encircle the city. A great majority of the population is Mestizo and white, and mainly of Spanish descent. Costa Rica also has a small Indian population. Spanish is the official language, and the state religion is Roman Catholicism, although non-Catholic religions also exist freely.
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