Living In Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama. Costa Rica is widely acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful countries in Central America. There is an increasing population of North Americans and Europeans settling in Costa Rica due to it's ideal climate and safe political structure. Many foreign businesses are also relocating to Costa Rica due to an educated work force and the amount of bilingual talent in the work force.
Costa Rica is slightly smaller than West Virginia in size and has two seasons. The rainy season runs from May to November and the dry season is December to April.
Natural hazards in Costa Rica include: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; and four volcanoes. (Two of them are active.)
The government of Costa Rica is a democratic republic. The capital city is San Jose, and most of the nation's commerce takes place in the San Jose city limits.
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. CAFTA implementation would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.
Costa Rica has no formal military and is seldom involved in disputes with other nations.
