Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in the Central American region of North America. Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around five million in a land area of nearly 51,180 km2 (19,760 sq mi). An estimated 352,381 people live in the capital and largest city, San José, with around two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.
Some of the key events about Costa Rica
- 1502Indigenous populations were decimated by diseases brought by European colonizers
- 1821Costa Rica gained independence from Spain
- 1821Costa Rica suffered economic hardship following independence from Spain
- 1856The country was invaded by forces led by American filibuster William Walker
- 1869Primary education became free and mandatory for all citizens
- 1917A military coup overthrew the elected government
- 1948Costa Rica abolished its military, becoming one of the first countries to do so
- 1948A brief civil war resulted in approximately 2,000 deaths
- 1949A new constitution was adopted, establishing a stable democratic system
- 1963Irazú Volcano erupted, causing significant damage to agriculture and infrastructure
- 1970The National Parks System was created, protecting Costa Rica's biodiversity
- 1987The Costa Rican president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in ending Central American conflicts
- 1991A severe earthquake struck Limón province, causing widespread destruction
- 1994Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to constitutionally guarantee the right to a healthy environment
- 1996The country established its first marine protected area, Isla del Coco National Park
- 2007Costa Rica set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2021, leading global environmental efforts
- 2009The global financial crisis negatively impacted Costa Rica's economy
- 2019Costa Rica was awarded the UN's highest environmental honor, the Champions of the Earth award, for its commitment to combating climate change
- 2020The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Costa Rica's tourism industry
- 2021A major cybercrime attack compromised government systems and caused financial losses
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.