Costa Rica - Area and Population Area about equal to southern California south of Los Angeles Costa Rica U.S. Population 4.1 million 301 million 5.8% over 65 12.6% Median Age 27 37 Life expectancy 77 78 European ancestry 94% 82% Catholics 76% 24%

Costa Rica Democratic Republic Voting age 18, mandatory voting President – Oscar Arias Legislative Assembly, elected No army No oil, no gold Agricultural products: bananas, pineapples, coffee, nursery stock, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, beef, timber Manufacturing: electronic products, textiles

A Little History 1562 Spanish landed on Caribbean coast near Limon 1573 50 families in Cartago 1641 Slave ship wrecks on Caribbean coast (Miskitos) 1821 Independence from Spain (mailed in) United Provinces of Central America 1824 Nicoya joins Costa Rica 1838 Independent Costa Rica 1855 William Walker takes control of Nicaragua 1858 Walker defeated in Costa Rica 1832 First coffee exports 1880 First banana exports 1917, 1948 Dictators take over and are removed 1934 Strike against the United Fruit Company

Surrounding Countries Nicaragua to the north 1979 Sandanistas topple dictator Opposed by the U.S. U.S. fought governments of Nicaragua and San Salvador Panama to the south 1903 Seceded from Columbia with U.S. help Ceded Panama Zone to U.S. 1989 U.S. invaded Panama to remove Noriega 2000 U.S. ceded Panama Zone to Panama

Medical Recommendations We (and the Centers for Disease Control) recommend: Vaccination for Hepatitis A Vaccination for Hepatitis B Vaccination for Typhoid Taking Chloroquine for malaria prevention