Location

The jewel of Central America in the northern hemisphere, Costa Rica lies north of Panama and south of Nicaragua. A little smaller than West Virginia, the country stretches from the Caribbean coast to the Pacific Ocean. The concentration of Amor del Mar’s fine developments is on the Nicoya Peninsula, which is located along the Pacific coast, and varies from 19 to 37 miles wide by about 75 miles long. The Nicoya Peninsula is famous for its swimming and surfing beaches, nature reserves and wildlife refuges, and is just starting to be developed for residential and commercial use.

Climate

Over two dozen mini-climates can be found in Costa Rica. On the Nicoya Peninsula, the dry season ranges from December to April, and the rainy season (when rain may fall in the afternoons) lasts from May to November. Temperatures can range from around 70 degrees Fahrenheit to the high 90s. Ocean breezes cool the shore.

The Costa Ricans

Most original settlers came from Spain, although there are small groups of indigenous people living on the Caribbean coast, and Nicaraguans occupying the inland area of the Guanacaste province, of which the Nicoya Peninsula is a part. Catholicism is the national religion, but people are free to follow their own religious paths. Spanish is the official language; however, you will find many Ticos (as Costa Ricans are called) on the Nicoya Peninsula who speak English. The Ticos are a generous and friendly people, and friendships between foreigners and Ticos can be richly rewarding.

Political Structure

Costa Rica is a democratic republic in which the citizens elect their officials. It is the only neutral country in Central America, having abolished its military in 1949. This country gained its independence from Spain in 1821. In 2006, Oscar Arias, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in the 1980s in halting civil war in other Central American countries, was elected for the second time as president of Costa Rica. In October 2007, the people of Costa Rica voted to approve CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Workers, farmers and consumers in Costa Rica will benefit from the elimination of tariffs of U.S. goods that are exported to this country.

Healthcare

Instead of financing national armed forces, Costa Rica focuses its funds on healthcare and education. This country boasts a 96% literacy rate, numerous universities and fine hospitals with many doctors trained in the United States or at the esteemed Universidad de Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a world-renown center for dental and plastic surgery.

Ecology

Despite being such a small country, Costa Rica claims almost 6% of the world's biodiversity, i.e., the variety of living forms. Biodiversity is a measure of the world’s biological systems, which are necessary to support life on our planet. Eco-tourism contributes greatly to Costa Rica’s GNP, and each year hundreds of thousands of people visit to appreciate a vast array of birds, butterflies, turtles, trees, endangered animals and other precious natural elements.

Travel

Costa Rica has two modern international airports: the Juan Santamaria International Airport outside of San Jose and the Daniel Oduber International Airport located in Liberia, just a couple of hours from the Nicoya Peninsula. From here you can fly to many U.S. and Canadian cities, to several European, Central American and South American countries, and to other areas within Costa Rica. The Tambor airport for domestic flights is located on the Nicoya Peninsula. There is an excellent system of private and public buses and taxis. Visitors arriving from the United States, Canada and most European nations receive a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival.

Pura Vida

“Pura vida” is a common saying among Ticos and foreigners alike. Literally meaning “pure life,” the expression is used to greet, to say goodbye, and to communicate appreciation. “Pura vida” also conveys happiness about living in a beautiful country.