Costa Rica

Costa Rica, sandwiched between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south (Figure 1), is Central America’s third smallest country (51, 100 km²; 19, 730 mi²). Its population of 4.57 million is less ethnically diverse than some of its regional countries. Atop the continental divide near Monteverde, it is possible to see both the Pacific and the Caribbean that border the country’s west and east coasts. The country is the key archaeological transition point between North and South America. For much of its pre-independence history, Costa Rica was mostly left to its own devices, as it lacked gold, silver, and other precious commodities.

Costa Rica, Figure 1

Map of Costa Rica