Official Name: República de Costa Rica (Republic of Costa Rica).

Area: Central America

Size: 51,100 km²

Coastline: 1,290 km

Independence: from Spain September 15, 1821

Form of Govt.: Unitary multiparty republic

Head of Govt.: President

Capital: San José

Largest City: San José

Demographics (2005): 4,327,000,   85 /km²

White 80%, Mestizo 15%, Black 4%, Amerindian, Chinese and other 1%

GDP per Capita (2005): $12,000

Languages: Spanish (official), English

Geography: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains (Cordillera de Guanacaste) including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes. Four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San José in the center of the country. The highest volcano in the country is the Irazú Volcano (3.431 m). The largest lake in Costa Rica is Lake Arenal and the highest peak is in the Cordillera Talamanca. The rich agricultural valley is the Meseta Central, the heart and heartbeat of the nation

Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands. Mean temperatures average 27° C (at sea level on the Caribbean coast and 32° C on the Pacific lowlands.