Where's Costa Rica?
I usually introduce myself to new students by saying my name and where I'm from. Since most teachers are from either Canada, US, England, or Australia, I very often get puzzled looks followed by the same question: Where's Costa Rica?
Most of them have a vague idea where it is located ("South America?"), but other than that, they know very little about Costa Rica.
Others, however, recognize it as either a beautiful tourist place (which is true), or a coffee-producing country (which to some extent is also true). A few students even mention the national soccer team and how it came here to Japan during the 2002 World Cup.
After showing them where it is located on a map, I then tell them how small, yet beautiful Costa Rica is. Some students ask me a few other questions, such as "Is English the native language there?", "How far is it from Japan?", or "What's the best place to visit in Costa Rica?".
So far, only 2 of my students have been there. The first one was there on vacation and told me he did many adventureous things, including bungee-jumping. The other one said she was there for about a month or two living in a remote village doing some research, but I can't remember what it was. Anyhow, both of them told me they really enjoyed it and would love to visit again.
For the rest of you who know nothing or very little about Costa Rica, here's a brief summary:
1
Costa Rica is a republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east-southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
2
Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces.
3
The capital is San Jose, located in the middle of country.
4
Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.
5
Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index, and 48th worldwide.
6
It has a reputation for excellent whitewater kayaking/rafting opportunities.
7
Two of the country's most renowned rivers in that regard are the Rio Pacuare and the Rio Reventazon.
8
In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq. mi).
9
The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó, at 3,810 metres (12,500 ft).
10
The largest lake in Costa Rica is Lake Arenal.
11
It possesses the greatest density of species in the world.
12
Costa Rica's GDP per capita is US$13,500.
13
In recent times electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in Costa Rica's economy due to the high levels of education among its residents.
14
The unit of currency is the colón (CRC), which trades around 500 to the U.S. dollar.
15
It has the same time zone as the central part of the United States and direct ocean access to Europe and Asia.
16
Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region, with 1.9 million foreign visitors in 2007.
17
Most of the tourists come from the U.S. and Canada (46%), and the E.U. (16%).
18
In terms of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Costa Rica reached the 44th place in the world ranking, being the first among Latin American countries.
19
Costa Rica is an active member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States.
20
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations University of Peace are based in Costa Rica.
21
While the country has only about 0.1% of the world's landmass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity.
22
Costa Rica has a population of 4,133,884 of which 94% are white (including) Mestizo, 3% black, 1% Amerindian, 1% Chinese and 1% other.
23
Costa Rica hosts many refugees, mainly from Colombia and Nicaragua (an estimated 10% to 15% of the Costa Rican population).
24
Some 92% of Costa Ricans are Christian.
25
The only official language is Spanish.
26
Costa Ricans often refer to themselves as tico (masculine) or tica (feminine).
27
The phrase "Pura Vida!" (approximately translatable to "This is living!", literal meaning "Pure Life!") is a ubiquitous motto in Costa Rica.
28
Some youth use mae, a contraction of "maje" (mae means "guy/dude"), to refer to each other.
29
Costa Rican popular music genres include: American and British rock and roll, pop and reggaeton are popular.
30
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is of 96%, one of the highest in Latin America.
31
Elementary and high schools are found throughout the country in practically every community.
32
Primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and high school are free. There are both state and private universities.
Jun 11, 08
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