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Travel Facts
Costa Rica is Central America's jewel. It's an oasis
of calm among its turbulent neighbors and an
ecotourism heaven, making it one of the best places
to experience the tropics with minimal impact. It's
also mostly coastline, which means great surfing,
beaches galore and a climate built for laziness.
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Full country name: |
Republic of Costa Rica |
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Area: |
51,100 sq km |
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Population: |
3.8 million |
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People: |
96% Spanish descent, 2% African descent,
1%
indigenous Indians, 1% Chinese |
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Language: |
English, Spanish; Castilian |
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Religion: |
85% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant |
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Government: |
Democracy |
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Head of State: |
President Abel Pacheco de la Espriella |
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GDP: |
US$16.6 billion
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GDP per capita: |
US$4,300 |
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Annual Growth: |
1% |
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Inflation: |
11.6% |
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Major Industries: |
Tourism, electronics, coffee, bananas, sugar,
food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic
products. |
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Major Trading Partners: |
USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico |
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Visas: |
Visa requirements for Costa Rica change rapidly
so check with your consulate before leaving.
Currently citizens of the USA, Argentina,
Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Panama, Romania,
South Korea, Uruguay, the UK, France and most
other Western European countries do not
need a visa for a 90-day stay.
Citizens of Australia, Ireland, Iceland, Mexico,
New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Vatican City
and most of Eastern Europe and Latin America can
stay 30 days without a visa.
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Health risks: |
Dengue Fever, Malaria, Cholera (There
is a low risk of cholera), Hepatitis |
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Time: |
GMT/ UTC -6 - Central Standard Time (Daylight
Savings Time is not observed) |
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Dialing Code: |
506 |
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Cellular Services: |
TDMA * GSM |
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Electricity:
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110V ,60Hz |
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Weights & measures:
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Metric |
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