Interesting Facts

Did you know that...

... Costa Rica represents only about 0.03% of the earth’s surface, but features approx. 5% of the world’s biodiversity?

... 915 bird species have been registered in Costa Rica? That is as many as in both the USA and Canada.

... there are more butterfly species than in the whole African Continent, that is to say 12'000 different species?

... a quarter of the Costa Rican land area is protected?

... the rainforest soil is not really fertile, and the humus layer is very thin?

... the primary forest is easily passable and that there is almost no understory? The treetops are high and very dense so that hardly any light reaches the ground, and therefore only few plants can grow.

... you can distinguish the secondary forest by its dense, almost impenetrable understory?

... an alga grows in the sloth’s fur, which makes it appear green and serves as camouflage?

... the crater of Poás Volcano is one of the largest in the world?

... Cocos Island - belonging to Costa Rica and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is the largest inhabited island outside the pole area and is designated as a national park?

... Costa Rica has several national symbols? Its national bird is the clay-coloured thrush (Turdus grayi), the national animal is the white-tailed deer, the national tree is the Guanacaste, and the national flower is the Guarianthe skinneri, a purple orchid. The national instrument is the marimba, and the National Monument is located in the National Park in San José. The two-toed and three-toed sloth was designated a national symbol in 2021 to conserve its population and protect its habitat.

... Costa Rica was the first country worldwide that abolished its army in 1948?

... Costa Rica has been a republic and has been regarded as one of the oldest and most stable democracies since 1848?

... Oscar Arias - the country’s president from 1986-1990 and 2006-2010 - was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for developing a road map for peace for Central America?

... Costa Rica is also called ¨Switzerland of Central America¨, not only because of its mountainous landscape but also because of its relative prosperity and the political neutrality which it declared - similar to Switzerland (1815) - in 1983?

... with more than 10%, Costa Rica has the highest immigration rate throughout Latin America?

... Costa Rica’s currency, the ¨colón¨, was named after Christopher Columbus (Spanish: Cristobal Colón)?

... the Costa Ricans are proudly called ¨Ticos¨?

... Costa Rica has the lowest illiteracy rate of Latin America?

... the former prison of San José now is the Museo de los Niños (Children's Museum)?

... the international airport of San José (SJO) is located near the city of Alajuela?