Fun facts about Costa Rica:
– Costa Rica has a population of 4.5 million and a life expectancy of almost 77 years, one of the highest in the world.
– There are 800 miles of coastline in Costa Rica between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
– There are more than 121 volcanic formations in Costa Rica, and seven of them are active. Poas Volcano has the second widest crater in the world (nearly one mile in diameter), and Arenal Volcano is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. Irazu is the tallest volcano in Costa Rica at 11,259 feet.
– More than 25% of Costa Rica’s land is dedicated to national parks, reserves and wildlife refuges. There are more than 100 different protected areas to visit.
– Costa Rica’s military was abolished in 1949, and the country has been living in peace without an army ever since.
– Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, although many people speak at least some English due to the high volume of tourists that visit the country.
– San Jose is the best place to make connections and find work in Costa Rica.
– Costa Rica ranks first in the Happy Planet Index, and is the “greenest” country in the world.
– Costa Rica’s typical catch phrase is “Pura Vida!” Overall, a reflection of the Costa Rican way of life, it means pure life or good life.
– For most of Costa Rica, the dry season runs from December through April. During these months, thePacific coast and most of the Central Valley receive little rain, or the odd afternoon shower. May through mid-November is considered the rainy season, when days are marked by sunny mornings and late afternoon thunderstorms. The Caribbean coast, Monteverde and Arenal areas are exceptions to this rule, and have no distinct dry season. This is a chart of the average temperatures throughout the year:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Noc | Dec | |
| Ave High |
25 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
30 |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
| Ave Low | 15 (59) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
18 (64) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
16 (61) |
12 (54) |
