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Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica **Location** - Central American between Nicaragua and Panama **Capital** - San Jose **Population** - Three million

**RELIGION:** Majority Roman Catholic, then Evangelical; Methodist; Baptist; Episcopalian; Jewish and Bahai Faith. **ETHNIC MAKEUP:** The majority of the population, 98 per cent, is white or racially mixed, except in Limon province on the Caribbean coast, where an estimated 70,000 blacks and 5,000 Indigenous people live. The Northern Guanacaste province also has a sizeable Indigenous population.

[] Places To Go In Costa Rica :D =Arenal Observatory Lodge *4star*= Set high on a ridge facing Costa Rica's most active and spectacular volcano, the Arenal Observatory Lodge offers the adventurous traveler a unique experience. You can enjoy the sound and fury of Arenal Volcano's constant eruptions from the comfort of your room, or from one of the many volcano viewing sites around the lodge. It's one of the good place to experience the thrill and beauty of the Arenal Volcano because of its location, its history as a research center and the knowledge and the experience of its staff and guides. The Arenal Observatory Lodge offers 43 rooms in four separate buildings spread on the property. All are comfortable and most have volcano views from the privacy of your bedroom. Five rooms are fully equipped for disabled travelers, with rooms, bathrooms, hallways, parking areas and even the new swimming pool designed accordingly. The lodge is located just 1.8 kilometers from the active crater of Arenal Volcano, and is separated from it by a deep river valley. The location was specifically chosen in the 1970's by scientists from the Smithsonian Institute, who needed a close but safe vantage point from which to study the volcano. Arenal Observatory Lodge sits on 870 acres of land adjacent to the Arenal Volcano National Park. The site contains 270 acres of primary rain forest with well-marked trails, 400 acres of reforestation projects, and 200 acres of working farm lands. The Lodge was actually born out the very humble buildings originally erected on a farm to house scientists and researchers from the Smithsonian Institute and Earthwatch. ** Jade Museum ** ***5star*** It is located on the 11th floor of the largest building in Central America, the National Insurance Building, with an excellent view over San Jose and the Central Valley. It has the world's largest collection of Pre-Columbian jade with pieces dating from 500 BC to 800 AD. Recent renovations to the museum have improved the lighting to show each piece of art's spectacular shades of green. The tall National Insurance Institute (INS) houses the largest collection of American pre-Columbian jade in the world in the Jade Museum on the first floor. This museum rivals the National Museum in its extensive exhibits of pre-Columbian jade, gold, stonework, and ceramics. The Jade Museum should be high on your list of places to visit.
 * **//Costa Rica's Climate//** ||
 * Costa Rica is a tropical country which contains several distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most regions have a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches nationwide with some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet on exposed eastern slopes. Temperature is more a matter of elevation than location with a mean of around 72 degrees in the Central Valley, 82 degrees on the Atlantic coast and 89 degrees on the Pacific coast. ||

**Tortuguero National Park** ** *4star* **



Located on the Caribbean Coast, it is most popular for its different species of turtles. Some of the things that you can do here include: Night tours to observe the nesting of turtles, Rent kayaks, canoes or motorized boats and explore the many lagoons and canals that meander through the park, Inasmuch as most explore the area using its waterway system, there are several hiking trails within the park for those who are interested. Some of these trail gives you access of the beach and the rainforest, and the park also offers great fishing opportunities. []
 * National Holidays in Costa Rica :D **

Día de la Raza In English speaking countries, the day is celebrated as Columbus Day or Native American Day. In Spanish speaking countries and communities, is is known as Día de la Raza, the Day of the Race. Día de la Raza is the celebration of the Hispanic heritage of Latin America and brings into it all the ethnic and cultural influences making it distinctive. It is celebrated on October 12 in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela.
 * April 11th:** **Juan Santamaria Day** . Public holiday to commemorate the national hero who fought at the battle of Rivas against the American invader William Walker in 1856.
 * September 15th**: ** Independence Day **, with big patriotic parades celebrates Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821.

[] Popular Music Several jazz cafes and restaurants in and around the Escazu and San José area are excellent options to watch new musicians play acoustic and jazz sets. Malpais is a Costa Rican band that blends traditional folk music with contemporary rock and jazz, to create a unique sound that is popular with all ages. Their music reminisces about Costa Rican small town life and denotes a general longing for the past.
 * Jazz**
 * Contemporary Costa Rican Musicians**

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