Costa Rica lies between Nicaragua and Panama. Its width ranges from 119 to 282km (74 to 176 miles). There are lowlands on both coastlines, swampy on the Caribbean coast, with grassland savannah on the Pacific side merging into swamps towards the south. Rivers cut through mountain ranges, flowing down to both the Caribbean and the Pacific. The capital, San Joséwas founded in 1737 and is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional and the Parque Central. On the Caribbean coast there are a number of beaches, ports and towns worth visiting. Braulio Carrillo National Park in the central region of the country has five kinds of forest. Orchids and ferns, jaguars, ocelots and the Baird tapir may all be seen here. Common dishes include casado (rice, beans, stewed beef, fried plantain, salad and cabbage) and sopa negra (black beans with a poached egg). Coffee is good value and has an excellent flavour. San Joséhas many nightclubs and venues with folk music and dance. There are several theatres and cinemas.

General Information

Area: 51,060 sq km (19,720 sq miles).

Population: 3,464,000 (1997).

Population Density: 67.8 per sq km.

Capital: San José. Population: 329,154 (1997).

Geography: Costa Rica, lying between Nicaragua and Panama, is a complete coast-to-coast segment of the Central American isthmus. Its width ranges from 119 to 282km (74 to 176 miles). A low thin line of hills, that rises between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean in Nicaragua, broadens and rises as it enters northern Costa Rica, eventually forming the high, rugged, mountains of volcanic origin in the centre and south. The highest peak is Chirripó Grande which reaches 3820m (12,530ft). More than half the population live on the Meseta Central, a plateau with an equitable climate. It is rimmed to the southwest by the Cordillera range, and provides the setting for the country's capital, San José. There are lowlands on both coastlines, mainly swampy on the Caribbean coast, with grassland savannah on the Pacific side merging into mangrove towards the south. Rivers cut through the mountains, flowing down to both the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1821. Head of State and Government: President Miguel Angel Rodríguez Echeverría since 1998.

Language: Spanish is the official language. English is widely spoken. Some French, German and Italian are also spoken.

Religion: Roman Catholic.

Time: GMT - 6.

Electricity: 110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. Two-pin plugs are standard.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 506. Outgoing international code: 00. Telephone booths are available all over the country.

Fax: Facilities are available in San Joséat the Radiografica Costarricense SA (opening hours: 0700-2200).

Mobile telephone: AMPS network is operated by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE). Not compatible with GSM phones. Handsets can be hired, although this can be difficult and time-consuming.

Internet: There are several cybercafés and some hotels also provide facilities.

Telegram: Since the abolition of the inland telegram service in the UK, the Costa Rican Government Telegram Company will not accept telegrams destined for the UK.

Post: Airmail letters to Western Europe usually take between six and ten days.

Press: Daily newspapers printed in Spanish include La Nación, La República, La Prensa Libre, Eco Católico, El Heraldo and Diario Extra. Three weekly papers are printed in English, The Tico Times, Costa Rica Today and Central America Weekly.

See also www.antor.org for more infomation on Costarica

Social Profile

Food &Drink: Restaurants in towns and cities serve a variety of foods including French, Italian, Mexican, North American and Chinese. Food is good, from the most expensive to the cheapest eating places (which are generally found west of the city centre). Food sodas (small restaurants) serve local food. Common dishes include casado (rice, beans, stewed beef, fried plantain, salad and cabbage), olla de carne (soup of beef, plantain, corn, yuca, nampi and chayote), sopa negra (black beans with a poached egg) and picadillo (meat and vegetable stew). Snacks are popular and include gallos (filled tortillas), tortas (containing meat and vegetables), arreglados (bread filled with same) and pan de yuca (speciality from stalls in San José). There are many types of cold drink made from fresh fruit, milk or cereal flour, for example, cebada (barley flour), pinolillo (roasted corn) and horchata (corn meal with cinnamon). Imported alcoholic and soft drinks are widely available. Coffee is good value and has an excellent flavour.

Nightlife: San Joséespecially has many nightclubs, venues with folk music and dance, theatres and cinemas.

Shopping: Special purchases include wood and leather rocking chairs (which dismantle for export) as well as a range of local crafts available in major cities and towns. Local markets are also well worth visiting. Prices are slightly higher than in other Latin American countries. Best buys are wooden items, ceramics, jewellery and leather handicrafts. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800/1900.

Special Events: For a complete list of special events, contact the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (see address section). The following is a selection of the major annual festivals and special events: Dec-Jan Fiestas del Fin del Año (week-long festivities). Feb-Mar Orchid Show, Cartago. Mar (middle) Día del Boyero (Day of the Oxcart Driver), San Antonio de Escazú. Mar (middle) National Craft Fair, San José. Jun (end) Feast of St Peter and St Paul. Aug Arrival of Pilgrims, Cartago. Oct Carnival Week, Puerto Limón.

Social Conventions: Handshaking is common and forms of address are important. Christian names are preceded by Don for a man and Doña for a woman. Normal courtesies should be observed when visiting someone's home and gifts are appreciated as a token of thanks, especially if invited for a meal. For most occasions casual wear is acceptable, but beachwear should be confined to the beach. Tipping: It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers. All hotels add 10 per cent service tax plus 3 per cent tourist tax to the bill by law. Restaurants add a 10 per cent service charge. Tipping is expected by hotel staff, porters and waiters.