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Costa Rica . . .
offers a wonderful blend of recreation, nature and cultural
activities with 32 national parks, reserves and wildlife refuges
all within a small tropical paradise the size of West Virginia.
Known internationally for it’s tropical rain forests,
there are also massive mangrove, rare tropical dry forests,
active and inactive volcanoes, mountainous cloud forests, and
spectacular Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Over the past
decade, Costa Rica has received much recognition for its actions
in World Peace and Global environmental awareness. This
worldwide attention helps support Costa Rican pride in their
unique corner of our universe.
Costa Rica is Central America's longest established
democracy, where the armed forces were abolished in 1948.
With a population of nearly three and a half million people,
the country devotes more than 25% of it's terrain to
National Parks and Reserves and is often referred to as the
"Switzerland of Latin America" for it's beauty, tranquility
and cleanliness. A land of secluded tropical beaches
lined with coconut palms swaying in the breezes, it has over
1400 different tree species providing a variety of habitats
for 850 recorded bird species and a vast range of exotic
animals.
A chain of volcanic mountains geographically divide the
country. In the center is a high-altitude plain
with coastal lowlands on both the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts. Over half of Costa Rica’s friendly population
live on this higher altitude plain with its fertile volcanic
soils. The highest peak is Mount Chirripo at 12,529 ft.
(3,819m). It's 131 mile Caribbean coastline is characterized
by mangroves, jungle and sandy beaches. The 630 mile Pacific
coastline is much more rugged with a number of gulfs, rocky peninsulas and
beautiful white sandy beaches.
Costa Rica has a winterless climate with only two seasons;
wet or dry. The dry season is from mid-November to
May. During the wet season, the majority of rain
falls late in the afternoons. The pleasant temperature
varies little between the two seasons, as the main influence
on temperature is altitude. At 3772 ft. (1150 m), San
Jose’s climate is often referred to as ‘eternal spring’ with
temperatures ranging between 60-79 degrees. The
Caribbean coast is much warmer with temperatures
averaging several degrees higher.
With it's
picturesque settings and superb weather, Costa Rica is truly
a wonderful place to visit. Only two and a half hours
by air from Miami, this tropical paradise offers an
endless array of beautiful sights and natural attractions to
enjoy. The Costa Rican people are known for their easy-going
lifestyle and open acceptance of other cultures. |
Costa Rican Flag
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