About Costa Rica
Costa Rica Country Details
- Extension: 51,100 km2 (19,730 mi2)
- Population: 4.52 million
- Labor force: 2.05 million
- Capital: San Jose
- Major languages: Spanish (official), English
- Currency: Colon
- Time Zone: GMT-6 (U.S. Central Standard Time)
| San Jose | Alajuela | Carthage | Heredia | Guanacaste | Puntarenas | Lemon | |
| Population | 1,677,905 | 745.278 | 473.419 | 501.611 | 312.658 | 360.859 | 461.432 |
| Workforce | 805.004 | 335.336 | 218.960 | 235.735 | 132.898 | 143.163 | 188.517 |
Weather
The climate in Costa Rica is pleasant throughout the year. The average temperature range in San Jose is 14 to 24 ° C (57 to 75 ° F) in December and from 17 to 27 ° C (63 to 81 ° F) in May.
The Caribbean coast averages 21 ° C (70 ° F) at night, and over 30 ° C (86 ° F) during the day. The Pacific coast is hotter than the Caribbean, but less humid.
Government and Economy
The Government of Costa Rica is governed through a series of constitutional controls. The executive responsibilities are vested in the President, supported by two Vice-Presidents. Costa Rica also has a legislative branch consisting of a cabinet of 57 legislators, all elected every 4 years. The third power of the Republic is provided by the Judiciary.
The country has a very strong legal system rightly protected by the judiciary, which ensures compliance with the law and protects both citizens and foreign nationals within the territory.
The survey by the World Bank Global Governance Indicators 2008, Costa Rica ranked in first place in Latin America for political stability.
One of the pillars of economic development in Costa Rica has been the liberalization of trade, which has allowed exports to surpass the rate of 30% of GDP in 1980 to a current rate of 50% (including export of goods and services) .
Followed this trade liberalization have been a number of structural changes that have led to growth in productivity, economic diversification and a higher level of investment.
Real GDP has been increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.3% since 1991.
All these changes have led to important social achievements. In the past 20 years poverty has been reduced from 40% to less than 20%.
Housing and accommodation
Most industries and businesses are located within the greater metropolitan area, comprised of San Jose and parts of other provinces such as Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago.
Housing in this area offers a variety of levels and prices there range from $ 600 - $ 5,000 per month. There are no restrictions on buying property for foreigners, the law guarantees equal rights for both foreigners and nationals , which means no special conditions for the acquisition of properties in the country.
With over 360 hotels located around the country, Costa Rica offers a spectrum of possibilities for rest and relaxation.
Education
Public education is free and compulsory in Costa Rica. There are more than 9,300 educational institutions.
Our educational system is located at position number 32 worldwide, remains the highest in Latin America, according to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, World Economic Forum.
There are over 200 private schools registered with the Ministry of Education, most are bilingual (English, German, French and Hebrew), and offer world-renowned programs such as Advanced Level [Advanced Placement (AP)] and the International Baccalaureate ( International Baccalaureate [IB]), by its initials in English.
For those who are going to move to Costa Rica and schools and colleges require international certification, there are seven schools that provide international diplomas certified by organizations such as SACS, NEASC and MSA. They are: American International School, Blue Valley School, British School, Country Day School, Lincoln School, Marian Baker School, Pan-American School and Falcon International School.
Quality of life
- Under the Quality of Life Index (Rooms), 2009 conducted by The Intelligence Unit of The Economist magazine, San Jose is ranked as the 4th city in Latin America with the best quality of life
- The overall classification of San Jose is 75.2%, above the Latin American average of 69.3% as well as Asia and Australia, which is 69.7%
- Costa Rica is ranked within the top 5 countries in the global environmental performance
Tourist Information
- Costa Rica is a Central American countries with the greatest potential for tourism
- It has been declared one of the most visited international destinations
- It covers 0.03% of the planet's surface and has the privilege of being the habitat of 6% of the world's biodiversity
- The 25.6% of its territory is protected under various conservation methods
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