Costa Rica

Costa rica is located in Central America, and it covers an area of about 19,730 square miles. The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose. Costa Rica borders both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. It is between Nicaragua and Panama. When compared to the United States, it is slightly smaller than West Virginia. Costa Rica\'s coastline extends to a length of 1,290 km. Costa Rica\'s official language is Spanish.



Costa Rica\'s population was about 3,533,000 in 1998. By the year 2000 the population grew to 3,673,000. There is about 4,333,000 people estimated by the year 2010. The annual growth rate for Costa Rica is about 2.4%. It takes about 36 years for the population to double itself. So by the year 2036, the population approximately will be 7,346,000. 1/3 of Costa Rica\'s population is under the age of 15. Costa Rican\'s have an overpopulation problem, and when the young people start having children that\'s when it will become even more populated, and even more of a problem. This is a huge reason why Costa Rica lives in poverty.



Costa Rica\'s climate is pretty warm, but it\'s described as \"tropical\" and \"subtropical.\" There is a dry season, and a rainy season. The dry season lasts from December to April, and the rainy season extends to May to November. Temperatures are high 100 degrees to a low 75 degrees. Rainfall amounts are 150 - 200 inches per year.



Costa Rica gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. Their national Holiday is celebrated that same day. Costa Rica\'s flag has red, white, and blue, with a coat of arms on the left hand side. The official name for Costa Rica is The Republic of Costa Rica. Costa Rica\'s currency is the Costa Rican Colon. Costa Rica has one of the most stable governments around. A disputed presidential election in 1948 led to a short civil war. The new 1949 constitution abolished the army placing defense in the hands of the civil guard. So in turn,...