Costa Rica is located in Central America and is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Costa Rica is 1.4 times the size of the Netherlands.

CCosta Rica has 4.5 million inhabitants, of which about 2.5 million live in the central valley. Population growth is 2.8% per year. Whites and mestizos (of mixed Indian and white descent) form by far the largest population group, over 95%. The Caribbean population mainly live on the Caribbean coast. About 5,000 Indians still live in the reservations, of which the Bribris, Borucas and Chortegas have retained most of their cultural identity. The main sources of income are agriculture and tourism. The coffee from Costa Rica is praised for its quality. A number of cooperatives of small coffee farmers have a contract with the Max Havelaar foundation. Fruit growing is economically very important for the country. Exports and trade are in the hands of multinationals.

NATURAL BEAUTY:

Beaches with palms, coral reefs, volcanoes and mountain ranges, a paradisiacal flora and fauna. Costa Rica has it all when it comes to natural beauty. About five percent of all plant and animal species in the world are found in this small Central American country. There are 850 different bird species, 220 reptile and amphibian species, 220 mammal species and 9000 plant species and 900 tree species.

The country is a paradise for tourists. About 30% of the country is a protected nature reserve and half of this is a national park. The 35 national parks are spread throughout the country. Mass tourism could threaten the eco-structure of the country, which is why the government has taken measures to protect the environment. Ecotourism is encouraged and mass beach tourism is concentrated on the northern coast of Guanacaste province. An international airport has been built near Liberia especially for these tourists. A number of national parks have a visitor limit. The government refuses to cooperate in improving the infrastructure to the various parks.

GENERAL DATA:

Language: Spanish is the official language in Costa Rica. In most tourist areas you can use English.

Health: Costa Rica has a modern health care system. The quality is comparable to western countries. Costa Rica is also virtually free of infectious disease. Dengue (dengue fever) occurs in some parts of the country. You protect yourself by wearing the right clothing and using insect repellent. Consult your GGD before you leave for Costa Rica.

Electricity: The voltage is 110 Volt with American sockets. If your trip is booked with Custom Costa Rica, you will receive an adapter with your welcome package.

Money: The currency in Costa Rica is the colón. Prices are also often quoted in dollars. The dollar is the country's second currency. You can pay with dollars in hotels, among other things. The rate of the colon: 1 dollar = 530 colones ( 15/01/2015 ) You can use a credit card in almost all places. You can also pin with your bank or giro card in many places in the country. You can choose dollars or colones. If you are taking dollars on your vacation, make sure you have small denominations ($20 and below). $100 bills are only accepted by banks.

Internet: Internet cafes can be found throughout the country. Especially in the larger cities and in the tourist areas,

Phone calls: There are public phone booths all over the country. Most only work with a calling card. Costa Rica has a GSM and a 3G network (UMTS). Due to the mountainous area, coverage is not available everywhere. There is also no reception in remote areas. If you have a 3G phone, you can use www.waze.com as GPS.

Passport: You do not need a visa for a stay of less than three months. A valid passport that is valid for at least 6 months after leaving the country is sufficient.

Time: It is seven hours earlier in Costa Rica and eight hours earlier during summer time than in the Netherlands.

Holidays: More than 80% of the population is Roman Catholic and this is reflected in the public holidays
January 1: New Year
March 19: San Jose Day
April 11: Juan Santamaria Day
May 1: Labor Day
June 29: Saint Paulo and Saint Pedro
July 25: Joining the province of Guanacaste to Costa Rica
August 2: Virgin de Los Angeles Day August 15: Assumption of the Virgin
Mary
September 15: Independence Day
October 12: Day de las Culturas
December 8: Immaculate Conception
December 25: Christmas

Other festivities and events:
During the Semana Santa (Easter Week) many processions are organized and the whole country is almost silent on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Together with Christmas, this is also the super high season.
October: Carnival in Limon
December: Big parade in San José with many horses (Tope). Bullfighting in Zapote (San Jose suburb). In addition, regional and local parties are regularly organized. In January are the celebrations of Palmares.