Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean between Nicaragua and Panama.
Land Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq. miles)
Coastline: 1,290 km ( 802 miles)
Highest Point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m (12,497 ft)
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean 0 m (0 ft)
Notable Landmarks: Take a peek...

Costa Rica's economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels. Tourism continues to bring in money from other countries. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, problems in the labor market, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica is the only signer to the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that has not ratified it. CAFTA implementation would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $40.44 billion (2005 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $ 10,100 (2005 est.)
Number of Workers: 1.82 million (2005 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 6.6% (2005 est.)
Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products.
Currency: Costa Rican Colon (CRC) What does it look like?

Type of Government: Democratic Republic
Head of State: President Abel Pacheco (since 8 May 2002)
Head of Government: President Abel Pacheco (since 8 May 2002)
Capital City: San José
Legal Age to Vote: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory.
Flag Design: Five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
Official Language: Spanish (official), English
Religions: Roman Catholic, 76.3%; Evangelical, 13.7%; Jehovah's Witnesses, 1.3%; other Protestant, 0.7%; other, 4.8%; none, 3.2%.

Costa Rica is a Central American success story --- since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.