Last Updated: May 19, 2025
No time to read up on the entire history of Costa Rica? These ten very short, very simple facts will help you learn some of the basics and deepen your appreciation of the country and people who live there.
Costa Rica’s History
1. The Original Costa Ricans – Costa Rica was originally inhabited by indigenous communities for about 13,000 years before the Spanish arrived in the 1500’s. Now they only represent about 2.4% of the population. You can visit one of their communities on a guided tour from La Fortuna Arenal
2. Arrival of the Spanish – Christopher Columbus arrived at the Caribbean coast in 1502, and gave “Costa Rica” its name, which means “Rich Coast.”. But the Spanish couldn’t find much gold or labor, and Costa Rica became one of the poorest Spanish colonies.
3. Coffee Country – After Costa Rica got its independence in 1821, they began to grow some really great-tasting coffee on their rich volcanic soil. This helped make Costa Rica become one of the wealthiest countries in Central America. You can visit a Coffee farm on this kid-friendly tour in Monteverde
4. No Military – In 1949, Costa Rica decided to get rid of its military and spend its money on education and healthcare. This decision helped make Costa Rica stable and wealthy, with high literacy rates, especially compared to its neighbors.
5. Conservation Efforts – About one fourth of Costa Rica’s lands are protected as national parks and reserves. This helped make it into a top eco-tourism destination. This was a good move because Costa Rica doesn’t have the Grand Mayan ruins and cultural sites like its neighboring countries.
Costa Rica’s Culture
6. Pura Vida Lifestyle – “Pura Vida” means “simple life”. It’s used as a greeting, farewell, thank you, and general expression of wellbeing. Costa Ricans rank among the happiest people in the World. Maybe that’s why.
7. Universal healthcare – Costa Rica provides free universal health care and education to all its citizens. In fact, Costa Rica has a higher life expectancy than the US by 3 – 4 years despite not being as wealthy.
8.Religion – About 60 – 70% of Costa Ricans are Catholic Christians. But they are also a secular nation and other religions are practiced here as well. Holy Week or Easter week is a big deal here.
9. Tourism – About 1 in 10 Costa Ricans work in tourism. That means all those people are working hard to help you have an amazing time when you visit. Other top areas of employment are technology, manufacturing medical devices, and growing coffee and fruit for export.
10. Where Costa Ricans go on holiday – If they need a break from exploring their own beautiful country, their top destinations are Panama, the United States (especially Orlando), Mexico and Nicaragua.
Ready for the Next Step?
- Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Costa Rica for Families – Know everything you need about flights, food, currency, rental cars, accommodation and activities
- 7 Day Itinerary from San Jose Airport or 7 Day Itinerary from Liberia Airport
- Which Airport should I fly into?
- Download a Free Wildlife Spotting Guide and other Costa Rica Fun Facts for Kids by subscribing to my Newsletter.
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