COSTA RICA Amber Bishop

LOCATION  Is located in Central America.  Is in the middle of the Central America isthmus.  Latitude and Longitude is 10 degrees North and 84 degrees West.  Is north of the equator.

CLIMATE  Has a temperate tropical climate.  Is marked by two seasons: the dry season ( December-April.) and the wet ( May- November).  The average temperature throughout the year is between 71 degrees and 81 degrees.

CLIMATE  The dry season has warm and sunny days that are free of rain and are tempered January and February by cool winds. The warmest months are March and April and the coolest temperatures are found from November through January.  The rainy seasons have sunny mornings with afternoon rain. This season is also known as the green season. Especially in September and October there are drenching downpours.

FOOD  Most of the dishes are prepared with oils that are high in saturated fats but Costa Rican food is generally healthy.  Maize is tortillas with rice and beans. Maize is eaten typically 3 times a day with eggs, cheese, meat that could include chicken. It is also eaten with a chayote stew or salad at lunch or supper.  Comida tipica is black beans and rice. It is the backbone of Costa Rican cuisine.

FOOD  Gallos are meat, beans, or cheese between 2 tortillas.  Tortilla de queso is a thick tortilla with cheese in the dough.  Horchata is a sweet and spicy drink that consists of roasted ground rice and cinnamon.

Comida de tipicaTortilla de queso

CULTURE  94% European and Mestizos  3% Afro-Costa Ricans  1% Amerindian  1% ethnic Chinese

TRANSPORTATION  There are many different ways to travel in Costa Rica.  You can travel by the following: Domestic flights, rental cars, shuttles, private vans, ferries, public buses, and even horseback.

IMPORTS/EXPORTS  Exports: coffee, bananas, sugar, cocoa, cattle and other meat products.  Imports: Mainly raw materials for industry and mining. Also consumer goods for industry, mining, and transportation.

MAIN EXPORTERS/IMPORTERS  Exporters: The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Belgium.  Importers: The United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Spain, Guatemala, and Germany.

HUMAN INTERACTION  Deforestation occurs from agricultural purposes and cattle ranching.  Most of the wood is wasted by burning or rotting.  Soil contamination is done by fertilizers and pesticides.  The climate change affects the ones living there. The different seasons go from the dry season. (nice weather)to the wet season ( all rain.) The ones living there have to adapt to that kind of change.  In the dry season its nicer weather so the clothing you can wear then is clothing that you shouldn’t wear when its rainy.

In this weather you would wear rainy clothing. In this weather you would wear cooler type of clothing.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS  A main issue in the environment of Costa Rica is deforestation.  The area was all once covered in forests.  The forests are only 25% of the area now.  Another serious problem is the contamination of soil.  The soil is important for cash crops such as bananas, sugarcane, and coffee.

REGIONS  The Central Valley- is large and fertile land. About 70% of the population resides here. There is many diverse climates in this region.  The Northern Lowlands- are known for the picturesque villages that attract many tourists. There are several hotels, restaurants and bars.  The Northern Pacific- has some of the most spectacular and unique beaches in the country.

Flamingo Beach in the Northern Pacific. Hotel Fiesta in Costa Rica