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40 Interesting Facts About Costa Rica

From wildlife and geography to food and drink, these interesting facts about Costa Rica are guaranteed to surprise you!

Welcome to the land of ‘pura vida’. Costa Rica is a country known for peace, wildlife and incredible adventures. It also happens to be one of my favourite countries in the world to travel to. I absolutely adore the mix of landscapes.

One minute you’re road tripping past active volcanoes, the next you’re relaxing on a Caribbean beach, or trekking through a rainforest seeing monkeys, toucans and sloths. I also think Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they’re referred to, are some of the happiest, friendliest and most helpful I’ve met on my travels.

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
There are so many interesting facts about Costa Rica coming up

I’ve visited Costa Rica twice already and I’m already planning a repeat trip. It really is a magical country. I’ve learned a lot about the nation on my last few trips, but there were certainly a few gaps in my knowledge. For that reason I decided to find out more and pop together a definitive list of interesting facts about Costa Rica. These cover everything from tallest volcanoes to quirky facts about sloths.

If you’re planning a visit soon, definitely have a read of these Costa Rica facts before you travel. They’ll get you excited for what you’ll be seeing on your holiday. No doubt you’ll learn a few new pieces of trivia while you’re there too!

Hacienda Orosi, Costa Rica
One of my favourite places in Costa Rica – Hacienda Orosi

Planning your trip to Costa Rica? Here are a few quick highlights:


40 Interesting Facts about Costa Rica

General facts about Costa Rica

Did you know the name Costa Rica translates literally from Spanish as ‘rich coast’. Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the country all the way back in 1502. So why did he think it was worthy of its rich title? Because he believed it was filled with precious metals.

As of 2021, the population of Costa Rica was 5,094,118 people. It’s the most visited country in Central America, with around 3 million visitors every year. In 2019, 1.3 million of those tourists were from the United States. Just over 500,000 travelled from Europe, with the top countries being Germany (80,000) and the UK (78,000).  

When you’re travelling in Costa Rica you’re guaranteed to hear the words Ticos and Ticas. This is what Costa Ricans refer to themselves as, and is often used as a nickname by other nationalities for those from the country too.

Catarata Del Toro, Costa Rica
How many of these fun facts about Costa Rica did you already know?

Shopping in Costa Rica? Don’t forgot to carry some colón (₡) – Costa Rica’s national currency. It has been used in the country since 1897. 1 Colón is divided into 100 Céntimos. You’ll find USD $ are widely accepted too.

Before your trip you might want to brush up on your Spanish. After all, it’s the official language of Costa Rica. However, with tourism playing such a huge part in the country’s economy, many people speak English too.

There’s one phrase you’ll hear wherever you go in Costa Rica. ‘Pura Vida’. It translates as the pure life, but is so much more than a saying. It’s a greeting for hello, how are you and goodbye, plus a way of life that is calm, content and peaceful.

Pura Vida, Costa Rica
You’ll hear Pura Vida everywhere you go in Costa Rica

One of the most interesting facts about Costa Rica is that it doesn’t have an army. The Costa Rican army was abolished back in 1949 following a 44-day civil war in which more than 2,000 people died. Today it is known as a neutral, peaceful country.

Have you heard of Blue Zones before? They’re areas where people live longer and healthier lives than other places in the world. To put this in perspective, there are only 5 in the world, and 1 is Nicoya in Costa Rica. Researchers discovered that most inhabitants live to at least the age of 90, and many pass 100 years of age. In fact, Nicoya is home to the highest number of centenarians in the world.

Costa Rica is striving to become one of a handful of carbon neutral countries, and already generates almost 98% of its energy through renewable sources. It’s now pledged to achieve zero net emissions by 2050, meaning it would produce no more emissions than it can offset.

The flag of the country contains blue, white and red stripes. The dark blue is for the sky, idealism and opportunities. The white stripes represent peace, wisdom and happiness. Meanwhile, the red on the Costa Rican flag stands for the blood of the people defending the nation as well as the warmth of the people.

Costa Rica flag
One of the most interesting facts about Costa Rica is about what the colours on the flag represent

The flag also has a shield on it, which contains 3 volcanoes, 2 ships on water (representing the Pacific and Caribbean coasts), and 7 stars (representing each of Costa Rica’s provinces).

Geography facts about Costa Rica

Costa Rica covers an area of 51,100km². To get the scale, that’s a similar size to West Virginia in the US, Slovakia in Europe and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.

Wondering how the country is split up? Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces, within which are 82 cantons, which are then divided into 488 districts (each with its own 5-digit post code). The 7 provinces are: San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limon. San Jose is the most highly populated province, followed by Alajuela in the north. The law states that new cantons may only be created if they have at least one percent of the republic’s total population.

For a relatively small country, Costa Rica has a long and spectacular coastline. There are 800 miles of lush coast in total, spanning the Pacific and Caribbean. Love beaches? Well you’re in luck as there are over 300 to choose from!

Walking on the beach in Corcovado National Park
Walking on the beach in Corcovado National Park

Interestingly, Costa Rica has more ocean than land. It has a huge 574,725km²of ocean and only 51,100km² of land!

Costa Rica has plenty of amazing landscapes to explore and natural wonders to see, including waterfalls, volcanoes, lakes and mountains. Mount Chirripó is the highest mountain in Costa Rica, with an elevation of 3,821 m (12,536 ft).

You’re guaranteed to see a few volcanoes on any trip to Costa Rica, and some of them are seriously impressive! There are over 100 volcanic formations, 60 dormant or extinct volcanoes and 6 active volcanoes Irazú, Turrialba, Tenorio, Rincón de la Vieja, Poás and Arenal (although Arenal is thought to be in a resting phase now). Irazú, located in the Central Highlands is the tallest at a height of 3,432 m (1,260 ft).

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

Meanwhile, Poas Volcano, thought to be over 11 million years old, has a green acid crater lake and the second widest crater in the world (almost 1 mile).

If you visit Arenal volcano, you’ll also get the chance to see the largest lake in the country. Lake Arenal is 85 square km (33 square miles) and in some parts is as deep as 60m (200 ft).

Costa Rica is famed for wildlife and biodiversity, so it’s no wonder there have been big moves to protect the lands. In total there are now 30 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges and 32 protected zones in the country, with approximately 25% of the country’s total land now protected against development.

Exploring Corcovado in Costa Rica
Corcovado National Park – one of many protected areas in Costa Rica

Corcovado National Park is home to several mysterious pre-Columbian stone spheres. These stone spheres, known as “Las Bolas,” are perfectly spherical and date back to the Diquis culture, which thrived in the region between 700 AD and 1500 AD.

Wildlife facts about Costa Rica

One of the most famous facts about Costa Rica is that the country covers just 0.03% of the earth’s surface, yet contains a whopping 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Some of the best places to see the country’s most interesting creatures are in Corcovado National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park. Book a tour with a local guide and you’ll learn all about the amazing wildlife.

Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species of animals and plants, although bear in mind that around 300,000 are insects! While the country’s climate and ecosystems are a big reason for this, it’s also likely to be because of the country’s position in between North and South America.

Wildlife spotting through a telescope in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Wildlife spotting through a telescope in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

The country is home to 206 species of amphibians, which include 146 different species of frogs and toads. The most famous is the red-eyed tree frog, which you tend to find in the rainforests.

One of the creatures you might be lucky enough to see in Costa Rica is a turtle. 5 of the world’s 7 species of sea turtles nest on the country’s beaches, with Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coast and Ostional and Nancit Beaches on the Pacific Coast being the key spots to see them.

Turtles in Costa Rica
I love these Costa Rica facts about turtles

You might be surprised by just how many arrive in a day. At the beach in Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, as many as 100,000 Olive Ridley turtles have reached the shore in one day, laying around 10 million eggs.  Events like this are known as arribada which translates as ‘mass arrival’.

Costa Rica has two national animals, but surprisingly they’re not sloths, monkeys, jaguars, whales or frogs! The national land animal is actually the white-tailed deer, which was chosen because of its characteristics that symbolise Costa Ricans. These deer are known for strength, peace, energy, fertility, and prosperity. They’re also pretty cute!

White-tailed deer
The national animal of Costa Rica is the white-tailed deer

More recently, the manatee was declared as the national marine mammal in Costa Rica. These peaceful and shy sea cows are on the endangered species list, and it’s thought there may be fewer than 100 in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is home to 922 species of bird, with the clay-coloured thrush (known as yigüirro) the national bird of the country.

Sloths are one of the most popular animals to see in Costa Rica. These lazy creatures sleep for between 15 and 18 hours a day and have the lowest metabolic rate of any mammal. In fact, it can take them up to 30 days to digest a leaf!

A sloth in Costa Rica
These fun facts about Costa Rica had to mention sloths!

Costa Rica has lots of other national species too. There’s Guanacaste, the country’s national tree, and beautiful purple orchid, guaria morada, the country’s national flower.

There are approximately 343 hummingbird species in the world and 52 of them call Costa Rica home! Did you know they have the fastest heart rate of any bird, beating up to 1,200 times per minute!

Hummingbird in Costa Rica
There are 52 species of hummingbird in Costa Rica

Food and drink facts about Costa Rica

If you’ve visited Costa Rica, no doubt you’ve eaten a few plates of gallo pinto. You’ll see this tasty dish of spiced rice and beans at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s the national dish for a reason! There’s a dispute over whether it originated in CR or Nicaragua, but it’s said the origins are Afro-Caribbean.

The name translates as ‘spotted rooster’ as there is a legend that a farmer invited locals to a feast for his spotted rooster. When a lot more people turned up than expected, he served up a huge batch of rice and beans, and thus the legendary dish was created.  

Gallo pinto at Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
Gallo pinto is one of the most common dishes eaten in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a rich country when it comes to natural ingredients, with bananas, sugar cane, coffee, chocolate and pineapples all produced on the land. There are banana plantations dotted across the landscapes of Costa Rica, so it won’t come as a big surprise to hear that the country is the fourth largest exporter of bananas in the world. Almost 7% of the world’s bananas come from the country!

Costa Rican’s have a favourite addition to any meal! It’s a sauce called “salsa Lizano,” a slightly sweet and tangy condiment that is very popular. You’ll see it on the tables in many restaurants.

Coffee is big business in Costa Rica too and the country is known for its high quality arabica coffee. In the 1800s, the government incentivised local farmers by offering free land in order for them to grow coffee plants. You might not always drink the best coffee while in Costa Rica though as a whopping 90% is exported.

Espiritu Santo Coffee Tour, Naranjo
Learning about coffee production in Costa Rica
Espiritu Santo Coffee Tour, Naranjo
These are the berries from which coffee beans are produced

Facts About Famous Costa Ricans

The Costa Rican national football team (referred to as “Los Ticos,”) defied expectations in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and reached the quarterfinals, a historic achievement for the team.

A quirky and interesting fact about Costa Rica is that it has a very high number of registered cars relative to its population. Known as “The Land of a Thousand Wheels,” Costa Rica boasts one of the highest vehicle ownership rates in the world. The country has a love affair with cars, and you’ll find a wide variety of vehicles on its roads, from vintage classics to modern luxury cars!

manuel antonio national park
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the prettiest places in Costa Rica

One of the most famous Costa Ricans is Oscar Arias Sánchez. He is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, awarded the prestigious honour in 1987 for his efforts to bring peace to Central America during a time of conflict and civil wars in the region. As the President of Costa Rica, Arias played a crucial role in brokering peace agreements between various Central American nations, contributing significantly to regional stability and diplomatic solutions. His dedication to peace and diplomacy has earned him a prominent place in both Costa Rican and global history.

One of the most famous women from Costa Rica is Karen Victoria Deibert, known by her stage name “Debi Nova.” She is a renowned singer, songwriter, and musician who has achieved international recognition for her music. Debi Nova’s career has included collaborations with major artists like Ricky Martin, Mark Ronson, and the Black Eyed Peas.


I hope you’ve enjoyed learning all about Costa Rica with me today! It’s such a varied and interesting country, it’s no wonder there’s so much to get to grips with. If you’re planning your trip, don’t miss my guides: 10 Day Itinerary For Costa Rica and What To Pack For Costa Rica.

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40 facts about costa rica

With a passion for food, fun and adventure, Chloe is the content creator behind one of the UK's top travel blogs Wanderlust Chloe. From volcano boarding in Nicaragua, to sailing around Sicily and eating her way around Japan, her travels have taken her to some of the coolest spots on the planet. Named Travel Influencer of the Year in 2022, Chloe regularly works with a number of tourism boards, producing inspirational travel content across multiple platforms. Find out more about Chloe here.

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