The Beyond News

Costa Rica officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around 5 million in a land area of 51,060 square kilometers (19,714 square miles). An estimated 333,980 people live in the capital and largest city, San Jose, with around 2 million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.The sovereign state is a unitary presidential constitutional republic. It is known for its long-standing and stable democracy, and for its highly educated workforce, most of whom speak English. The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget (2016) on education, compared to a global average of 4.4%.Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, and ecotourism. Many foreign manufacturing and services companies operate in Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives.

Costa Rica was sparsely inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the First Mexican Empire, followed by membership in the Federal Republic of Central America, from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Following the brief Costa Rican Civil War in 1948, it permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming one of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army.The country has consistently performed favorably in the Human Development Index (HDI), placing 62nd in the world as of 2020, and fifth in Latin America.[9] It has also been cited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as having attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than the median of the region.[18] It also performs well in comparisons of the state of democracy, press freedom and subjective happiness. It has the 7th freest press according to the Press Freedom Index, it is the 37th most democratic country according to the Freedom in the World index and it is the 12th happiest country in the World Happiness Report.

Foods in  Costa Rica:

(1) Gallo Pinto : 

Gallo Pinto is a breakfast dish made of rice and beans (well that’s no surprise!). The cuisine itself has roots in both Costa Rican and Nicaraguan culture, and is typically referred to as just “pinto” by the locals.The dish’s main ingredients (rice and beans) are mixed together and paired with other ingredients to give it some spice, like red bell peppers, cilantro, onions and most importantly Salsa Lizano (Salsa Lizano used to be very hard to get but now you can buy it on Amazon).When the beans and rice are mixed together, the create some coloring variations that make it look like the rice is speckled. This is how the dish got its name, because gallo pinto means “spotted rooster.”

(2) Casado : 

The Casado is probably the most traditional dish in Costa Rican cuisine. It is not a singular dish, but a dish made up of many foods. In fact, it could be thought that a casado is a marriage of the foods that are served together, since marriage is the meaning of the word casado.If you order a casado at a restaurant in Costa Rica, you can expect to be served a plate that contains the following: rice, beans, salad, tortillas, fried platano maduro, and meat (beef, pork, chicken or fish).The location within the country will determine which meat you receive, or which you can choose from. A casado typically also includes a fresh fruit juice.Most of the time restaurants also have a Chilero Sauce bottle on the table. This is one of the most popular spicy sauces found in Costa Rica.

(3) Tamal :

A Costa Rican tamal is not apples to apples with a Mexican tamale. While at first glance the fillings might look the same, there are a few huge differences in the preparation.First, Costa Ricans are found of garlic, but really go really, really easy on other spices. Mexican tamales will have a much spicier flavor than a Costa Rican tamale.The other big difference is in the wrapping: Mexican tamales are wrapped in corn husks; Costa Rican tamales are wrapped in banana leaves. Tamales can be a meal all on their own, but they are also often paired with beans and served for breakfast.

(4) Arroz con Leche : 

This is a dessert, so obviously it is toward the top of my list.The easiest way to describe arroz con leche is to say that it is rice mixed with milk. But the taste is much more complicated, and delicious, than that makes it sound. The recipe also calls for sugar, salt, lemon zest, and cinnamon sticks – see, I told you it is delicious!

(5) Sopa Negra (Black Bean Soup) :

While dessert is my favorite, and breakfast is a close second, I can also proudly say I have a passion for soups!Sopa Negra is no exception, and this traditional soup of my country is sure to be filling. This soup is a great option for vegetarians, and some recipes will meet other dietary restrictions, like gluten­-free.Some of the main ingredients include black beans, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, hard or soft boiled egg and spices, along with optional Tabasco sauce.

(6) Chifrijo : 

If you’re looking for a great meal, or snack, chifrijo is what you are looking for.Served at local events and farmer’s markets, as well as at restaurants. The name is a combination of the two main ingredients: chicharrones and frijoles.Chicharrones are fried pork rinds, while frijoles are beans (I bet you aren’t surprised to see beans on the list again!). The dish is an amazing layer of ingredients that are served with fried tortilla chips, corn tortillas, or bread. The layered ingredients include the two main foods, along with rice, and either tomatoes or pico de gallo.

Weather & geography in  Costa Rica:

The climate is tropical and subtropical. Dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands.Because Costa Rica is located between 8 and 12 degrees north of the Equator, the climate is tropical year round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region.Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much rain falls during a particular period. The year can be split into two periods, the dry season known to the residents as summer (verano), and the rainy season, known locally as winter (invierno). The "summer" or dry season goes from December to April, and "winter" or rainy season goes from May to November, which almost coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season, and during this time, it rains constantly in some regions.The location receiving the most rain is the Caribbean slopes of the Cordillera Central mountains, with an annual rainfall of over 5,000 mm (196.9 in). Humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. The mean annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 27 °C (81 °F), 20 °C (68 °F) in the main populated areas of the Cordillera Central, and below 10 °C (50 °F) on the summits of the highest mountains.

Per day Cost in  Costa Rica:

You should plan to spend around ₡47,705 ($77) per day on your vacation in Costa Rica, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, ₡10,129 ($16) on meals for one day and ₡10,706 ($17) on local transportation.

History of  Costa Rica:

As the tribes of Costa Rica developed, so too did their artistic and cultural output. Each tribe had a distinct style of craftsmanship, evidenced by the stunning variety of pottery, statuary and other cultural items. Stonemasonry, goldsmithing and metalworking also became much more sophisticated in the years leading up to the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century.Each tribe is believed to have specialized in a different aspect of producing not only cultural artifacts, but weapons and agricultural tools. The Chibcha and Diquis tribes, for example, were noted for the quality of their goldsmithing, in addition to their highly refined weaving and textile skills. Some archeologists believe the Chibcha and Diquis were also responsible for the mysterious stone spheres—huge, perfectly spherical boulders that can still be seen today in the Nicoya Peninsula and the Isla del Cano. Some of these large stones measure almost 7 feet in diameter and weigh up to 15 tons.

The Corobicís and Nahuatl tribes were also among Costa Rica’s most prolific craftsman. These groups inhabited the valleys of Costa Rica’s central highlands, and this area is home to some of the most important archeological sites in Central America. Most notable are the ruins of their former settlements in Guayabo, approximately 40 miles east of San Jose. Here, dozens of buildings have been unearthed by archeologists and anthropologists seeking to understand more about these fascinating tribes; in addition, evidence of sophisticated water systems such as aqueducts has been discovered at these sites.Today, many of Costa Rica’s indigenous tribes live on. Several of these groups still inhabit their ancestral lands. The Matambú, who came to Costa Rica around 500 A.D., can be found in Guanacaste. The Bribri people still make their home in Limon, while the Cabécar, Costa Rica’s largest indigenous tribe, dwell in the mountains surrounding Cerro Chirripo, and have retained much of their culture and ancestral heritage.