1. Costa Rica A Vacation Paradise Costa Rica: A Vacation Paradise in Central America Mt Arenal Volcano is regularly active. This is one of Costa Rica’s intriguing places to visit. It gives a great light show most nights!

2. Costa Rica is situated in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama

3. San José, the capital city Most tourists start their visit here.

4. A Costa Rican ox cart, a symbol of Costa Rica’s agricultural economy.

5. Hero: Juan Santamaría, the boy hero of Costa Rica What influence did the hero have on the country? Juan Santamaría helped to preserve Costa Rica’s independence by playing a key role in the defense of his country against an attempted invasion by a outlaw American named William Walker.

6. The Virgin Mary of the Angels A Religious Legend from Costa Rica

7. La Virgen de los Angeles Modern images of Mary, the Virgin of the Angels.

8. What cultural value does the folk story communicate? The folk story communicates the costa rican people’s deep reverence & respect for the virgen mary and their strong catholic beliefs. The modern church: Basilica de la Virgen de los Angeles in Cartago, Costa Rica

9. Costa Rican food Typical Breakfast: gallo pinto, (mixture of black beans & rice), scrambled or fried eggs, cooked plantains (a starchy kind of banana) tortillas or toast, fruit juice and coffee.

10. Costa Rican food Dinner: eaten in the afternoon, usually between 1:30 and 3:00 p.m. Like breakfast, the meal usually includes gallo pinto, or rice and beans, fried plantains. In addition, a chunk of Costa Rican cheese, salad, beef, chicken or fish, and tortillas are served. Black bean soup served with hard boiled egg is another popular dish. Snacks include fresh fruits like papaya, pineapple, mango, and fresh fruit smoothie drinks, called “refrescos.” Desserts include flan, arroz con leche, and a cake called “tres leches.”

11. What makes Costa Rica’s cuisine unique from the cuisine of other Spanish-speaking countries? Costa Rica’s cuisine is unique because it is not hot and spicy. Costa Rican’s enjoy a salsa called “Salsa Lizano” that tastes more like “curry” than chile peppers. Also the famous “gallo pinto” or rice and black beans mixture is unique to Costa Rica. Gallo pinto is eaten daily by almost all Costa Ricans.

12. Costa Rica’s Economy How do Costa Rican people make a living? The majority of Costa Rican people work in the industries listed below (Costa Rica’s top 5 products): Agriculture: bananas, coffee, beef, dairy products Timber Tourism Technology (Big Hewlett-Packard Plant) Oxygen (Created by the rain forests) Maintainence of the national parks, and forests provides many jobs. Costa Rica’s Gross Domestic Product per capita: $6,700. By comparison, the GDP of the U.S. is $36,200. GDP of neighbors: Nicaragua: $2, 700, Panama: $6,000.

13. Red-eyed stream frog filmed in Costa Rica for first time. September 7, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7603201.stm How does this current event impact the majority of the people? The natural environment in Costa Rica is a major tourist attraction, bringing visitors from around the world. Tourism is a major industry which supports many Costa Ricans and government programs. Preserving the environment, while also accommodating tourists is a challenge. Some native species have suffered because human activity has disrupted the natural environment. This recent discovery and filming of the tiny, rare, red-eyed stream frog in the Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest proves that the environment is still healthy enough to sustain this fragile frog.

14. Costa Rica’s Government: how does it compare to the United States?

15. Country Comparison Country Aspects Costa Rica MexicoUnited States Health Care Free to all citizens Free to all citizens, but not available in rural areas. Private for rich. Private, public assistance through Medicaid. Army/Military Service/Community Service No ArmyMilitary Optional, Public Service requ’d of Public Univ. Graduates. Optional, no draft Population4 Million105 Million300 Million Education & Literacy Free to all, high quality, especially ages 7-13. 95% Literacy. Free to all ages 6- 15. Fees are required. 91% literacy. Administered by states. Requ’d for ages 5-16. 97% literacy.

16. How do the places to visit display the unique treasures that Costa Rica has to offer?: Manuel Antonio National Park displays some of Costa Rica’s unique treasures: wildlife and a beautiful coast line. Look closely and you’ll see one of many monkeys that call Costa Rica home. Visit Manuel Antonio National Park and you are sure to see many.

17. Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches are a unique treasure! There are beaches on the east and west coasts. These photos are also from Manuel Antonio National Park.

18. Another place in Costa Rica that displays its unique treasures is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. This park is home to a huge diversity of insects, birds, plants and wildlife found only in Costa Rica.

19. More of Monteverde’s treasures: toucans, and suspension bridges through the upper forest canopy.