{"id":25743,"date":"2019-07-25T09:12:15","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T13:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=25743"},"modified":"2021-03-01T13:33:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T18:33:57","slug":"17-things-you-might-not-know-about-costa-rica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/17-things-you-might-not-know-about-costa-rica\/","title":{"rendered":"17 Things You Might Not Know About Costa Rica"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>17 Things You Might Not Know About Costa Rica<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica gets its name from its blue beaches and sandy seashores. The phrase \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d means \u201crich coast\u201d and perfectly describes the sandy beaches, the lush rainforest, and the biodiversity of the country.\u00a0 Enjoy 17 things you might not know about Costa Rica.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The country may have made a name for itself with its natural beauty and gorgeous landscapes, but there are many things that people don\u2019t know about Costa Rica.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some facts about the country which you probably didn\u2019t know:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>1. The Locals in Costa Rica Are Referred to Ticos and Ticas<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The residents of Costa Rica call themselves Ticos (for males) and Ticas (for females). These terms come from the practice of adding \u201ctico\u201d in the end of many Spanish words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The general population is Tico. <a href=\"https:\/\/expatmoneyshow.com\/captivate-podcast\/ep-096-kristin-wilson\/\">Costa Ricans<\/a> use the term Tico every day, just like the word <em>Pura Vida<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, the word \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">poco\u201d (<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which means \u201ca little\u201d in classic Spanish), is changed to \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">un poquitico<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d in Costa Rica.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here are a few other words using tico or tica;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ahora becomes Ahoritica = in a while becomes in a short while<\/li>\n<li><em>Ligero<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Ligeritico<\/em>\u00a0=\u00a0 fast becomes real fast<\/li>\n<li><em>Todito<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Toditico<\/em>\u00a0=\u00a0 everything becomes all of it<\/li>\n<li><em>Rato<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Ratico<\/em>\u00a0= a while becomes a short moment<\/li>\n<li><em>Momento<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Momentico<\/em>\u00a0=\u00a0 a moment becomes just a moment<\/li>\n<li><em>Minute<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Minutico<\/em>\u00a0= a minute becomes just a minute<\/li>\n<li><em>Blanquita<\/em>\u00a0becomes\u00a0<em>Blanquitica<\/em>\u00a0= white becomes extremely white<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The term Tico is not a sarcastic term, not racial, and not negative at all.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25825 size-large alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Birds in Costa Rica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4291889_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>2. The Streets Don\u2019t Have Names<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s right! The streets of Costa Rica don\u2019t have any street names or numbers on their buildings. Only recently has the country decided to place signs on some streets to make it easier for tourists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Jos\u00e9, the capital of Costa Rica does have a gridded network of streets, or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calles<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as they are called locally, that stretch into the avenues (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">avenidas<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). San Jos\u00e9 is quite easy to navigate through; it\u2019s when you\u2019re out of the city that you have to rely on local landmarks which can get very aggravating for expats and tourists that aren\u2019t familiar with the place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how do people get around with no street names and numbers?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know how some smartphones come with a compass app that most people never even open? Well, you\u2019ll need it in Costa Rica because locals here rely on compass directions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The locals of Costa Rica are great at using compass directions. If you\u2019re visiting Costa Rica soon, get ready to hear instructions like \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">go 100meters northwest from the hotel, you\u2019ll see an old building with a green gate<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may get nervous, but local cabbies won\u2019t have trouble following the directions at all. Whenever you think you\u2019re lost, always go to a church. All the churches in Costa Rica face the West so all churchgoers can be facing East (toward Jerusalem) when praying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you still can\u2019t figure out where you have to go, feel free to ask the local people, they\u2019ll be happy to help. It\u2019s just how Costa Rica operates. It\u2019ll take some getting used to but you\u2019ll get the hang of it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25830 size-large alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Street in Costa Rica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/architecture-2602324_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>3. People Speak Languages Other Than Spanish<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica was once a Spanish Colony. It was conquered by Spain during the 16<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Century and Spanish became the country\u2019s official language. But Spanish isn\u2019t the only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tourismincostarica.org\/languages-in-costa-rica\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">language spoken in Costa Rica.<\/a> About 10% of Costa Rica\u2019s population considers English its first language; this is largely due to migration from North America. Many North Americans decided to make the move to Costa Rica to take advantage of affordable living and enjoy its gorgeous landscape.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica values education and insists that students learn other languages such as French. Around 0.7% of its population can fluently converse in French.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Indigenous Languages<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica is home to a few indigenous people who speak their own languages. The country\u2019s indigenous languages originate from the Chibcha language family. Other languages include Limonese Creole (sometimes referred to Patua or Mekatelyu) which is a mix of Spanish and Jamaican Creole. Migrants from Jamaica that work in Costa Rica\u2019s banana plantations and railways usually speak Limonese Creole.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you travel to the Caribbean coast you\u2019ll notice that there is quite a bit of Jamaican influence. You\u2019ll spot Reggae bars and other food outlets that serve a fusion of cuisines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>4. It\u2019s Not Unusual for Ticos to Brush Their Teeth After Every Meal<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you start working in Costa Rica, you\u2019ll notice that your coworkers disappear for a few minutes after lunch. No, they aren\u2019t gossiping about you\u2014they\u2019re brushing their teeth. Brushing teeth after every meal is a very common practice in the country. You\u2019ll see people brushing their teeth in the mall, diners, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few years back the government released this ad campaign that encouraged people to brush their teeth so they wouldn\u2019t need the dentist as much. The locals responded and have made it a habit to brush their teeth after every meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.iwillteachyoualanguage.com\/spanish-beginnersfz5inudw?affiliate_id=1764132\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25971 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/MidPage.png\" alt=\"Moving To Latin America?\" width=\"720\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/MidPage.png 720w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/MidPage-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/MidPage-600x250.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>5. Costa Rica Was One of the First Countries to Embrace Eco-Tourism<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around 25% of Costa Rica <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govisitcostarica.com\/travelInfo\/nationalParks.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is protected land<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It\u2019s been set aside for parks and reserves to preserve the country\u2019s flora and fauna from deforestation and commercialization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica has always been open to tourists; however, it doesn\u2019t want to cash in on tourism at the expense of its diverse land. The country was one of the first to embrace eco-friendly tourism and environmentally-friendly practices. In fact, Costa Rica happens to be one of the most environmentally-friendly places in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Renewable Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The majority of Costa Rica runs on power that is generated by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.under30experiences.com\/blog\/costa-rica-has-run-on-100-renewable-energy-for-299-days\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">renewable resources<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The government has also rolled out a plan to become carbon neutral by 2021. It also plans to completely ban single-use plastics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To attain its environmental goals, Costa Rica has developed unique solutions that can reduce daily fuel emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of its plan to preserve its natural beauty, Costa Rica has built 8 biological reserves, 20 national parks and plenty of animal refuges.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/H0h5h3h0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25972 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CostaRica-Midpage.png\" alt=\"move to costa rica\" width=\"720\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CostaRica-Midpage.png 720w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CostaRica-Midpage-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CostaRica-Midpage-600x250.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Carbon Emissions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In San Jose, you aren\u2019t allowed to drive on one of the days of the week depending on the last digit of your driver\u2019s license. For example, if the last digit of your driver\u2019s license is 2, then you aren\u2019t permitted to drive in downtown San Jose on the second day of the week, Tuesday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By doing this, the Costa Rican government encourages people to use public transport and ride-sharing services which in turn help reduce carbon emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>6. Costa Rica Relies on the Tourism Industry to Bring in Money<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until 1995, Costa Rica\u2019s bananas were its prime foreign exchange-earners. Eventually, the country\u2019s thriving tourism industry surpassed its banana exports and became the leading foreign exchange earner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2013, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ticotimes.net\/2014\/01\/17\/tourists-flocked-to-costa-rica-in-record-numbers-in-2013\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tourism in Costa Rica<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reached an all-time high, boasting more than 2.4 million visitors from abroad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Arenal Volcano National Park and Hot Springs\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-y1OEGk25_0?wmode=transparent&amp;rel=0&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>7. Costa Rica has 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UNESCO which is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has picked four sites in the country that hold immense natural and cultural value and declared them <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Heritage Sites<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These four sites include Area de Conservaci\u00f3n Guanacaste, La Amistad National Park, Cocos Island National Park, and the Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diqu\u00eds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25835 size-full alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Llanos-de-Cortez-Waterfall.jpg\" alt=\"Llanos de Cortez Waterfall\" width=\"700\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Llanos-de-Cortez-Waterfall.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Llanos-de-Cortez-Waterfall-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Llanos-de-Cortez-Waterfall-600x399.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>8. Costa Rica Doesn\u2019t Have An Army<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s hard to imagine that in this day and age there are countries in the world that don\u2019t have a standing army. Costa Rica is one of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2018\/04\/03\/countries-that-do-not-have-a-standing-army-according-to-cia-world-factbook.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23 countries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that don\u2019t have an army.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It dissolved its army in 1948. The dissolution of the military was actually added into its constitution in 1949. Once Costa Rica decided to dissolve its army, 21 countries said that if the need for military protection ever arises in Costa Rica, they would step in to help; the USA is one of these countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1947, all these nations made the deal official by signing the American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25836 size-large alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Army rifle &amp; backpack\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/army-1835299_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>9. Life Expectancy in Costa Rica is Really High<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At birth, the life expectancy of Costa Rica is 80 years; this is even higher than that of the US (79 years). The Nicoya region in Costa Rica is considered one of the few \u201clongevity hotspots\u201d on the globe and is home to some of the longest living people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sheer beauty of Costa Rica\u2019s natural environment along with its commitment to keep it free of pollutants appears to have a positive impact on the health of its residents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explore the Happiness of Culture\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M51mmbsF0sM?wmode=transparent&amp;rel=0&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>10. Costa Rica has more than 200 Volcanoes<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019d think that having more than 200 volcanoes will make Costa Rica a dangerous place to live; fortunately, its volcanic formations haven\u2019t given it much trouble.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around 112 of Costa Rica\u2019s volcanoes have shown activity; 60 of its volcanoes appear to be dormant, they haven\u2019t shown any activity for many years but there is a possibility that they may become active.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arenal, Po\u00e1s and Iraz\u00fa are some of the most famous volcanic formations in Costa Rica; Arenal is Central America\u2019s most active volcano, Iraz\u00fa is the tallest volcano in the country and Po\u00e1s is the world\u2019s 2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nd<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> biggest volcanic crater.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25827 size-large alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Volcano in Costa Rica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-86x64.jpg 86w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/volcano-2169560_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>11. Costa Rica is Smaller in Size Than Lake Michigan<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Rica isn\u2019t very big at all; it\u2019s actually slightly smaller than Lake Michigan. The country is 19,730 sqm large out of which 801 miles is its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/travel\/costa-rica-attractions\/pacific-coast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coastline<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-25837 size-large alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920-1024x867.jpg\" alt=\"Map of Costa Rica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"867\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920-1024x867.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920-300x254.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920-768x650.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920-600x508.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/political-322461_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>12. Costa Rica Holds over 5% of the Entire World\u2019s Biodiversity<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may not be the biggest country but it\u2019s filled with biodiversity. Costa Rica barely comprises of 0.3% of the Earth\u2019s landmass but it holds more than 5% of its biodiversity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The country has over 500,000 species of plants and animals, making it the world\u2019s most diverse place in the world in terms of biodiversity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25838 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Costa Rica bio diversity\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/scarlet-macaw-tropical-bird-3924046_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>13. It Has All Kinds of Butterflies<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of diversity, around 90% of all of Central America\u2019s butterfly species can be found in Costa Rica. This translates to 18% of the butterfly species that exist in the world and 66% of neotropical butterflies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>14. Costa Rica Has More Than 50 Species of Hummingbirds<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So much gorgeous flora is bound to attract birds so it\u2019s no wonder that Costa Rica has over 50 different species of hummingbird that comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes. The smallest male hummingbird, the scintillant hummingbird, only weighs 2 grams while the largest species of hummingbirds in Costa Rica, the violet sabrewing, weighs about 11.5grams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25839 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Costa Rica hummingbird\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-4030774_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>15. The National Anthem Is Played at 7 am on Major Radio Stations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Costa Ricans may not have their own army, but they <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> patriotic. Costa Rica\u2019s national anthem was first played to welcome diplomats from the UK and USA back in 1852 but it wasn\u2019t considered the national anthem at the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The song \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noble Patria, tu Hermosa Bandera<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d written in 1903 by Jose Maria, praised Costa Rica and the flag. It didn\u2019t become the official national anthem until 1949.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>16. Pura Vida is a Lifestyle in Costa Rica<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you visit Costa Rica, you\u2019ll see that the local residents say \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pura Vida<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d when greeting and saying bye to each other. The phrase \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pura Vida<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d literally means \u201cpure life\u201d. In Costa Rica, they don\u2019t just say \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pura Vida<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d for the sake of saying it, they <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mean<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it; for them, it\u2019s a state of mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costa Ricans by nature are happy people, they genuinely believe in living a life free of toxicity whether it\u2019s in the physical or emotional sense. They are some of the happiest people on the planet and have consistently scored high on the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/happyplanetindex.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Happy Planet Index<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The index assesses nations on three criteria: life expectancy, wellbeing, and ecological footprint. Costa Rica topped the list with a powerful score of 64.0 while nations such as the US scored 37.3.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25824 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Pura Vida Costa Rica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-86x64.jpg 86w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-666745_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>17. It\u2019s a Haven for American Retirees<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cost of living in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/costa-rica-cost-of-living-by-region-and-residency-options\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Costa Rica<\/a> is a lot lower than what it is for people in the US, which makes it especially appealing to retirees looking to live a comfortable life on a limited budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retirees that are single and have budget constraints can easily live in Costa Rica for just $1,500 a month. They even have the option of cutting costs by renting out space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retirees looking to make Costa Rica their new home can choose from three residency options provided they meet the specific financial criteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you saved up enough for your post-retirement life, you can live comfortably in Costa Rica and enjoy all that it has to offer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25841 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Costa Rica license plate\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/costa-rica-1178149_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Related Articles and Podcasts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Costa Rica is such a beautiful and diverse area, I know you&#8217;ll also enjoy this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/5-things-to-do-in-costa-rica\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5 Things to do in Costa Rica<\/a> and this\u00a0article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/costa-rica-cost-of-living-by-region-and-residency-options\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cost of Living in Costa Rica<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And if you really want to have a good understanding of Costa Rica and how you and your family can move there then you MUST download this free guide &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/H0h5h3h0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Move to Costa Rica &#8211; Paradise is Waiting<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/expatmoneyshow.com\/\">Expat Money Show Podcast with Mikkel Thorup<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/expatmoneyshow.com\/episodes\/ep-089-gill-phelan\/\">089: IS COSTA RICA THE PERFECT PLACE TO BE AN EXPAT? \u2013 GILL PHELAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Costa Rica has so much to offer and is such a great option for people looking to live and retire overseas.\u00a0 For more information about Costa Rica, whether you are interested in investing in the country or buying your own home start with our <a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/H0h5h3h0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Country Guide to Costa Rica<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>17 Things You Might Not Know About Costa Rica Costa Rica gets its name from its blue beaches and sandy seashores. The phrase \u201cCosta Rica\u201d means \u201crich coast\u201d and perfectly describes the sandy beaches, the lush rainforest, and the biodiversity of the country.\u00a0 Enjoy 17 things you might not know about Costa Rica. The country [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":678,"featured_media":25943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[49,56,71,12622,127,137,1136,366,380,442,451],"yst_prominent_words":[3864,3868,4152,2340,3876,1716,3867,3863,3866,4153,4151,4641,4640,4639,3865,1793,2802,2350,3862,3869],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/water-fall-2355759_1280.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25743"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25743"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44300,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25743\/revisions\/44300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25743"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=25743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}