Costa Rica flag

Country in North America

Costa Rica

Costa Rica belongs to North America. The capital city is San Jose.

CapitalSan Jose
LanguageSpanish
CurrencyCosta Rican colón
Population5.3M

Key Facts

RegionCentral America
GovernmentPresidential republic
Independence1821
Area51,100 km2
Population density98/km2
Time zoneCST (UTC-6)
Calling code+506
Drives onRight

Quick View

HDI
0.806
Safety index
55.0
Internet access
83%
Life expectancy
80.3

Sources: World Bank, Numbeo, UN.

Top 3 Highest Mountains

Cerro Chirripo3,821 m
Cerro Ventisqueros3,812 m
Cerro Terbi3,760 m

Religion (est.)

  • Christianity79%
  • No religion17%
  • Other3%
  • Islam1%

Why Visit

Eco-Tourism Pioneer25% of land is protected national park — the world's highest ratio.
Arenal VolcanoAn active stratovolcano surrounded by hot springs and cloud forest.
Manuel AntonioA national park where wildlife meets white-sand beach on the Pacific.
MonteverdeA cloud forest reserve of hanging bridges, quetzals and misty trails.
WildlifeSloths, toucans, poison dart frogs and sea turtles in a country-sized zoo.

Top 3 Cities by Population

San Jose
345k
Cartago
158k
Heredia
134k

Climate Overview

19CJan avg.
22CJul avg.
3,000 mmYearly rainfall
Tropical (wet/dry seasons)Climate

Other Quick Info

CurrencyCosta Rican colón
Official languageSpanish
National day15 September
Electricity120V, Type A/B