CostaRica 1

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Costa Rica ~ 2011 Vacation Part 1 Getting To Know Costa Rica

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents Geography History Politics Economy Culture Cuisine Wildlife

“P u r a V i d a”:

“P u r a V i d a” the most recognizable phrase in Costa Rica “pure life” “good life” “plenty of life” “full of life” “this is living” “going great” “real living” “cool” "How are you?“ " Pura Vida ” A greeting and a farewell, to express satisfaction, to politely express indifference when describing something or even to say "thank you".

Geography:

Geography

Geography:

Geography Located in the center of the American Continent Population of around 3.5 million people

Geography:

Geography With Nicaragua to the north with Panama to the south The area of Costa Rica is 51,100 km, making it slightly smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia There are seven provinces

Geography:

Geography 3. Heredia Costa Rica is comprised of seven provinces: 2. Alajuela 4. Cartago 6. Limon 1. Guanacaste 7. Puntarenas 5. San José

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Geography 25% + of Costa Rica’s land is dedicated to national parks & reserves 800 miles of coastline in Costa Rica between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts Chirripo Mountain is the highest point @ 12,500’ The lowest point is 790’ below sea level in the caves of Barra Honda National Park

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Geography Irazu is the tallest volcano @ 11,259’ 121+ volcanic formations Seven of them are active Arenal Volcano is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world Arenal Volcano

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Geography The Tempisque River Bridge that connects the mainland to the Nicoya Peninsula was a gift from Taiwan .

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Geography San José With nearly a third of the population living there, it is the political, social, historical, and cultural center of the country

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Geography San José Avenues run east and west, and streets run north and south. However, the streets run in odd number numerical order on one side of the city and even numbers on the other side of the city making it difficult to get to find the address you want.

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Costa Rica hosts more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity even though its landmass only takes up .03% of the planet's surface.

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130 species of freshwater fish

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160 species of amphibians

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208 species of mammals

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220 species of reptiles

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850 species of birds

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1,000 species of butterflies

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1,200 species of orchids

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9,000 species of plants

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34,000 species of insects

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Geography

History:

History

History:

History Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica September 18, 1502 As he was setting anchor off shore, a crowd of local Carib Indians paddled out in canoes and greeted his crew warmly. Later, the golden bands that the region's inhabitants wore in their noses and ears would inspire the Spaniard Gil Gonzalez Davila to name the country Costa Rica , or Rich Coast .

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By the time Columbus arrived, there were four major indigenous tribes living in Costa Rica. The east coast was the realm of the Caribs, while the Borucas, Chibchas, and Diquis resided in the southwest. History

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History Only a few hundred thousand strong to begin with the tribes did not last long after the Spanish colonialism. Some fled, while many others perished from the deadly smallpox brought by the Spaniards. With no indigenous labor force, the Spanish brought in African slaves to work the land. Seventy thousand of their descendants live in Costa Rica today.

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Only 1 percent of Costa's Rica's 3 million people are of indigenous heritage. An overwhelming 98 percent of the country is white, and those of Spanish descent call themselves Ticos . History

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A 23 year old from Brooklyn named Minor Keith constructed a railroad in Costa Rica in 1871 History Keith advanced his career by marrying the daughter of the Costa Rican President, and was titled "The Uncrowned King of Central America.“ Keith had bananas planted on either side of the railroad which provided economical transport of the bananas to markets in the United States and Europe. United Fruit employed thousands of local workers and created an export infrastructure where it did not exist before. From the 1920s, United Fruit controlled more than 70 per cent of the banana business

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History San José in the 1920’s

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The 1940s A turning point in the history of Costa Rica The story of two men, sworn enemies. History Dr. Calderon Guardia Jose "Don Pepe" Figueres Ferrar.

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Calderon Guardia formed a political party with two unlikely partners: the Catholic Church and the Communist party, then hand picked his successor , described as a "puppet”, after winning what many claimed was a fraudulent election. History

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"Don Pepe" and Calderon Guardia were, by any measure, enemies. When Don Pepe went on the radio in 1942 to attack the government, its response was to send him into exile for two years. History

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In 1948 Calderon Guardia ran once again for the presidency. After the election, a fire destroyed many of the ballots, further inflaming the opponents. A court ruled that Calderon Guardia lost but the country's legislature---controlled by Calderon Guardia---annulled the election. History

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Don Pepe led the revolt. After five weeks, a couple of thousand lives lost, and only a half hearted effort on the part of the government, the rebels won, forming a military junta headed by Don Pepe who promised free elections and return to civil authority in 18 months. History

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Don Pepe banned the Communist Party granted full citizenship to blacks introduced women's suffrage established presidential term limits he amended the Costa Rica constitution abolishing a standing army- -including his own. History

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Today, Costa Rica has the distinct privilege of being the first nation to formally abolish its military, a decision from which it has never looked back. History

Politics:

Politics

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Democracy is not just the form of government of Costa Rica, it runs throughout the country, where there are more teachers than policemen and where the army was abolished in 1949. Costa Rica has a mandatory suffrage. Politics

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Even the smallest town has electricity service, drinkable water, public or private telephones and, most importantly, it counts with free and compulsory education in elementary and high schools, located all over the territory, along with several health centers ruled by the State. Politics

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In 1987, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez garnered world recognition when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in ending the Nicaraguan civil war. Politics

Laura Chinchilla Miranda :

Won the 2010 general election with 46.76% of the vote. The sixth woman to be elected president of a Latin American country. The first woman to become President of Costa Rica Politics Laura Chinchilla Miranda

Economy:

Economy

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Economy Coffee was first planted in Costa Rica in the early 19th century Was first shipped to Europe in 1843 Became Costa Rica's first major export Remained the principal source of wealth well into the 20th century

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Economy Costa Rica embarked on a green revolution, Ecotourism Minimizing environmental impacts a model of improving local economies preserving cultural traditions For the most part, tourism profits stay in the country and have contributed to rising living standards.

Culture:

Culture

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Culture H eavily influenced by Spanish culture 97% mestizo (Spanish with Native American) 3% Afro-Costa Ricans (descendants from Jamaican immigrants who worked in the construction of that railway) Blacks in the country weren’t allowed freedom of movement until 1949. Still, racism is rare and prejudice is very indirect and changing as the country modernizes. Costa Ricans refer to themselves as Ticos (males) or Ticas (females).

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Culture Education is very important in Costa Rica. 27% of the national budget is spent on education. 95% of the population is literate. This makes Costa Rica the most literate country in Central America.

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Culture The life expectancy at birth for Costa Ricans is 79 The Nicoya Peninsula is considered one of the Blue Zones in the world, where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years. Its healthcare system is ranked higher than that of the United States

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Culture OX CARTS Handmade The country's most famous type of craft In the mid-19th century, oxcarts were the only method to transport the hand picked coffee beans over the mountains and to the coast The family's only means of transportation Served as a status symbol. Now featured in parades and celebrations

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Culture Bullfighting A tradition stemming from the original Spanish settlers Nearly all cities and towns in Costa Rica have a bullfighting ring. In most Costa Rica bullfights, anyone in the crowd is welcomed and encouraged to join

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Culture Bullfighting A tradition stemming from the original Spanish settlers Nearly all cities and towns in Costa Rica have a bullfighting ring. In most Costa Rica bullfights, anyone in the crowd is welcomed and encouraged to join

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Culture Culture Trivia It is not uncommon to give coffee to babies (in their bottle, with milk) and to young children Ticos are short statured people in general. Therefore, chairs, couches etc are built about 6-8 inches (sometimes more) lower than furniture from the USA. If you should die while here, you are buried here on the same day you die... no embalming... nada.  They just plant you!

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Culture Instead of saying "my other half",  Ticos often refer to their significant other as their " media naranja " or the other half of their orange. Locks (houses, gates, etc.) in Costa Rica almost always work (turn) backwards. We say in English "She had a baby" or She just gave birth", but in Spanish they say, " Ella dio a luz " or translated, "She gave light." Front doors of almost all commercial establishments almost always open INWARDS. This is against every fire code in the USA. Culture Trivia

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Culture The word for HOT, in Spanish, is caliente .  Caliente begins with a "C".  Water faucets imported from the USA almost all have a "C" on them.  If your Hot Water never seems to get HOT in Costa Rica, try the handle with the  "C".  Note, this may change from bathroom to bathroom within the same house! You will see a LOT of folks carrying machetes... those really long, sharp knives.  You see this especially in the country and areas away from San José.  The machete is the Costa Rican equivalent of Duct Tape.  It is used for everything, but almost never as a weapon... so relax!! Culture Trivia

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Culture At 7 AM every morning, most if not all Costa Rica radio stations broadcast the exact same program.  It begins with the Costa Rican National Anthem and provides the government and other authorized entities a way to send messages or information nationwide. The meter in a taxicab is know as the Maria... apparently a loose reference to the Virgin Mary and her presumed honesty. Every town has its own plaza, or little park, in front of a Catholic church. Bigger cities have many such parks, and in most towns a soccer field is close by. Culture Trivia

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Culture There are usually no street names in Costa Rica so people get used to giving directions in relation to landmarks. In rural areas people will describe their official, legal address in ways such as "pink house just north of the big tree," or even "200 metres south of where the cow is tied up." The preferred music of older Costa Ricans is Cumbia . Younger Costa Ricans often favor Reggaetón dance tunes, although there are a great variety of tastes represented. Culture Trivia

Cuisine:

Cuisine

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Cuisine Costa Rican cuisine is a combination of Spanish , American , Caribbean and Southern American influences.

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Cuisine One national dish is gallo pinto ("spotted rooster") A combination of black beans and white rice and is spiced with cilantro, onions, garlic, and salt.

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Cuisine Arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) chicken chunks mixed with rice and vegetables. Chorreadas, sweet corn pancakes with sour cream.

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Cuisine A casado is a one-plate meal that includes black beans, rice, a meat, fried plantains, side dishes. Casado is the typical Costa Rican lunch. Casado in American english means 'married man'

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Cuisine A soda : a small, informal restaurant that serves traditional meals like chicken, rice, beans and salad for $2-$3 a plate. A pulperia : a neighborhood store that sells essential foodstuffs like canned goods, eggs, milk, bread and some produce. Ice creams in interesting flavors like; wild blackberry , peanut , coconut , green mango and even sour cream .

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Cuisine Burger Kings here taste just like Burger Kings in the US.  MacDonald's do not.  Colonel Sanders are better here. Diet Pepsi here tastes better than Diet Coke. MacDonald's, Burger King and all the others have HOME DELIVERY in Costa Rica!

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Cuisine Tangerines are called mandarins (mandarines) Limes are lim ó nes (lee- moan ). You can't buy lemons here.

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Cuisine Candy and cookies have a LOT less sugar. Milk, eggs, and many other items available off the shelf (un-refrigerated) Some of the BEST coffee!

Wildlife:

Wildlife

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Wildlife Snakes Although rarely seen by the casual tourist in Costa Rica, snakes make up almost half of all reptile species in the nation. 135 species, 17 poisonous Some of the world's most deadly Bushmasters Coral snakes Fer-de-lance Boa constrictors Pelagic sea snakes

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Wildlife Snakes Live in remote, heavily forested tropical jungle terrain. Isolated in their jungle environment A Bushmaster bite is very serious and sometimes fatal. Bushmasters

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Wildlife Snakes With small heads, blunt tails, & bright bands of red, black, & yellow or white. Highly venomous snakes Coral Snakes

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Wildlife Snakes Sometimes deadly, causes permanent necrosis to tissue that can be life crippling. The most talked-about snake in Central America, much feared for its aggressiveness and lethal venom. Only about 6 people in Costa Rica die from the fer de lance. Can grow to a length of three meters Found in overgrown fields and rivercourses in drier lowland regions. Costa Ricans call this lethal creature terciopelo, Spanish for "velvet.“ Fer-de-lance

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Wildlife Snakes Along the Pacific beaches This gregarious snake has developed an oarlike tail to paddle its way through the ocean. It tends to drift passively with its buddies among drift-lines of flotsam, where it feeds on small fish. Pelagic Sea Snake

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Wildlife Snakes Not venomous the more common snake species Wild boas vary in temperament and some are aggressive. capable of inflicting serious damage with their large teeth Boa Constrictors

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Wildlife Snakes Fewer than 500 snakebites are reported each year Less than three percent of these are fatal. Most bites occur among farm workers. Because of the ready availability of antivenin deaths from snake bites are low. Unless you REALLY know your snakes, leave ALL of them completely alone and walk the other way. Never reach into holes or under rocks, debris, or forest-floor leaf litter without first checking with a stick to see what might be quietly slumbering there. And remember that many snakes are well-camouflaged arboreal creatures, which snooze on branches, so never reach for a branch without looking.

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Wildlife Caterpillars Some varieties are harmless Some can cause itching SOME can give a VERY serious injury just by brushing against them Unless you know your caterpillars, them alone while in Costa Rica If in your house, scoop them up with something other than your hands, and move them back outside.

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Wildlife Monkeys Four species of monkey are native to the forests of Costa Rica; the Central American Squirrel Monkey ( Saimiri oerstedii ), the White-headed Capuchin ( Cebus capucinus ), the Mantled Howler ( Alouatta palliata ) and Geoffroy's Spider Monkey ( Ateles geoffroyi ).

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Wildlife Monkeys Squirrel Monkey ( Saimiri oerstedii ) Known locally as the mono titi , It is Central America’s most endangered monkey. they grow to only two pounds a white face with black cap, and a non-prehensile tail They have an average lifespan of 20 years Omnivores, eat insects, insect larvae, small vertebrates (especially bats), fruits, flowers, nectar, and bark.

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Wildlife Monkeys Recognized as organ grinder monkey Highly intelligent Weighing up to 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) Can live 50+ years Mostly black, but with a pink face and white on much of the front part of the body :ives in troops that can exceed 20 Noted for its tool use; rubbing plants over its fur as herbal medicine, and using tools as weapons for food. The white-headed capuchin is regarded as "least concern" from a conservation standpoint The White-headed Capuchin ( Cebus capucinus )

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Wildlife Monkeys The largest Central American monkeys Males can weigh up to 9.8 kg (22 lb) Diet is composed mostly of leaves Male mantled howlers also have an enlarged hyoid bone, which is a hollow bone near the vocal cords. This enlarged bone amplifies the calls made by the male, which give the monkey its common name of "howler". Lives in groups that can have over 40 members The Mantled Howler ( Alquatta palliata )

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Wildlife Monkeys Weighing as much as 9 kilograms Its arms are significantly longer than its legs, and it has a prehensile tail that can support the entire weight of the monkey Live in groups that contain between 20 and 42 members. Diet consists primarily of ripe fruit and it requires large tracts of forest to survive. As a result of habitat loss, hunting and capture for the pet trade, it is considered to be endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey ( Ateles geoffroy )

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Wildlife Scorpions A ton of them They come in all sizes More prevalent at the beaches and hotter climates, but can be found anywhere Most give a nasty and very painful sting, but as far as I know, there are none in Costa Rica capable of killing an adult Check your shoes! If backpacking, shake out your sleeping bag before you climb in Be careful!

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Wildlife Cats Costa Rica boasts six endangered members of the cat family. All are active by day and night, but are rarely seen. Hunting of cats still occurs in Costa Rica. However, the main threat to the remaining populations is deforestation. Margay cats Ocelots Jaguarundis Pumas Jaguars Tigrillo ( Oncilla )

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Wildlife Cats One of the rarest cats About the size of a large house cat A long, slender body, short stocky legs, and a venal face with yellow eyes suggesting a nasty temperament. Jaguarundi (called león breňero locally)

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Wildlife Cats I nhabit a variety of terrains, though they are rarely seen This large cat--also called the "mountain lion"--is generally dun-colored, though coloration varies markedly among individuals and from region to region. Pumas (león)

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Wildlife Cats Cute-looking, house-cat-sized Has a special joint that permits it to rotate its foot backwards Wear an ocher coat spotted with black and brown spots, like tiny leopards. Their chests are white. Margay (caucel)

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Wildlife Cats The most commonly seen cat Cousin to the margay Well-distributed throughout the country and among various habitats It grows to the size of a large dog. Ocelot (manigardo)

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Wildlife Cats An endangered species, rare While a few of the famous black "panther" variety exist, most Central American jaguars are a rich yellow, with large black spots The largest and most powerful of the American cat family A mature jaguar over 2 meters & weighs up to 90 kg Powerful enough to kill a full-grown cow Like all wild cats, jaguars are extremely shy, not particularly dangerous, and attack humans very rarely. Panthera (tiare to locals)

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Wildlife Turtles Fo ur of the world's seven species of marine turtles nest on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica The Pacific Green ( Chelonia mydas ) or " negra ," Leatherback ( Dermochelys coriacea ) or " baula " or "canal," Hawksbill ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) or " carey ,“ Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) or " lora " or " carpintera ." Forty-seven beaches on the Pacific coast have been identified as having turtle nesting activity.

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Wildlife Turtles The Pacific Green (Chelonia mydas) or "negra,”

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Wildlife Turtles Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) or "carey,”

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Wildlife Turtles Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) or "baula”

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Wildlife Turtles The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) or "lora”

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Quick Quiz !

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(1) What percentage of Costa Rica’s land is dedicated to National Parks and reserves? 25%

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(2) Who abolished the Costa Rican army? Ferrar (“Don Pepe ”) In what decade? The 40’s (1949)

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(3) What Costa Rican monkey is endangered? The Squirrel Monkey

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(4) What country is south of Costa Rica? Panama

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(5) Who is the current President of Costa Rica? Laura Miranda

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(6) What is the life expectancy for Costa Ricans in the Blue Zone, Nicoya Peninsula? 100 years old

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(7) Name a common Costa Rican food. Gallo pinto Chorreadas Arroz con Pollo Casado

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(8) How many different marine Turtle species can be found in Costa Rica? 4

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(9) What country is north of Costa Rica? Nicaragua

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(10) How many different butterfly species can be found in Costa Rica? 1,000

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(11) What is the life expectancy for Costa Ricans? 79 years old

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(12) What is considered Costa Rican’s duct tape? A machete

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(13) How many species of snakes can be found in Costa Rica? 135

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(14) How many provinces does Costa Rica have? 7

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(15) Who discovered Costa Rica? Columbus the Spanish In 1502

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(16) What are female Costa Rican’s called? Ticas

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(17) What is a pulperia ? A small grocery store

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(18) What is Costa Rica’s largest wild cat? panthera

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(19) Name 2 of Costa Rica’s Provinces. Guanacaste San Jose Limon Alajuela Cartago Heredia Puntarenas

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(20) What is Costa Rica’s primary source of income/wealth? coffee

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(21) What percentage of Costa Rica’s population is literate? 95%

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(22) What is Costa Rica’s highest mountain? Chirripo Mountain

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(23) What is Costa Rica’s famous craft? Ox Carts

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(24) Who gave Costa Rica the Tempisque River Bridge? Tawain

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(25) Why might the Costa Rican furniture be smaller than in the US? Ticos are typically much shorter in stature.

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(26) What does the phrase “ pura vida ” mean? pure life

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Congratulations You have successfully completed “Getting to Know Costa Rica” .