Visual Geography Series®: Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Photos [downloadable for reports]

Maps & Flag [downloadable for reports]

Links

The Land

Cloud Forest Alive Homepage (Cloud Forest Alive) Learn more about Costa Rica’s cloud forests and current efforts to preserve them
Costa Rica (CIA World Factbook) Find up-to-date population figures and other statistics
Costa Rica Flora and Fauna (Costa Rica Exotica Natural) Discover more about Costa Rican flora and fauna (plants and animals).
Costa Rica Volcanoes and Volcanics (U.S. Geological Survey)
Find out more about the volcanoes and volcanics of Costa Rica
Detailed Costa Rica Maps (Maptak) Get detailed maps illustrating Costa Rica’s geography, vegetation, national parks and reserves, and more
The Living Edens: Costa Rica (PBS Online) Discover more about Costa Rica’s ecosystems
National Parks and Reserves in Costa Rica (World Headquarters) Get links to Costa Rica’s national parks and ecological reserves
Nova Online Adventure: Island of the Sharks (PBS Online) Explore Costa Rica’s Cocos Island and the island’s shark-inhabited coastal waters
Rain Forest Animals (Kid’s Saving the Rain Forest) Learn about Costa Rica’s rain forest, the animals that live there, and efforts you can take part in to preserve the forests
Weather (CNN.com) Get the current weather conditions for San José and other cities in Costa Rica

History and Government

Costa Rica—The Civil War of 1848 (Infocostarica)
Background on Costa Rica’s civil war of 1848 and how it shaped social and political future of the country
Costa Rica: Government (Photo.net)
Includes current information about the Costa Rican government and more
Costa Rica History (infocostarica.com)
Learn about Costa Rica's history.
Costa Rica—History and Culture (Geographia)
Discover more about Costa Rica’s history and culture
Encomienda System and the New World Indians (Historical Text Archive)
Find information about Spain’s social, political, and economic colonization system
Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica (Maptak)
Explore the Costa Rica’s ancient city of Guayabo and learn about the people who lived there
Juan Santamaria and the Battle of Rivas (Infocostarica)
Learn about Costa Rica’s national hero Juan Santamaria and his role in the Costa Rican stand for self-rule during the Battle of Rivas
Strange Artifacts: The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica (World-Mysteries.com)
Features images and background information on Costa Rica’s stone sphere archaeological artifacts

The People

Costa Rica: The Awakening of Social Protest (Infocostarica) Learn about Costa Rica’s history of organized labor and workers’ struggles for rights, better working conditions, and fair pay
Costa Rica: Human Rights (U.S. Department of State) Get the latest U.S. government reports on human rights in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Indigenous People (Infocostarica) Read a brief social, cultural, and economic history of Costa Rica’s native peoples
Costa Rica: People (Photo.net) Features general information on the people of Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s Education System (Infocostarica) Learn about Costa Rica’s education system
Map of Costa Rica’s Indigenous Tribes (Galaria Namu) Find a map illustrating the homelands of Costa Rica’s native peoples
Medicine in Costa Rica (COCORI) Research the Costa Rican medical system

Cultural Life

Arts and Culture of Costa Rica (CentralAmerica.com)
Features information on the arts and culture of Costa Rica, including art, crafts, theater, music and dance, and literature
Christmas in Costa Rica (COCORI)
Discover the ways Christmas is celebrated in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica—Holidays (Costarica.com)
Names and dates of Costa Rica’s main holidays
Costa Rica: The National Theater (COCORI)
Read about the history of Costa Rica’s National Theater
Easter in Costa Rica (COCORI)
Get information on the celebration of Easter in Costa Rica
Galaria Namu: Folk and Indigenous Art (Galaria Namu)
Features paintings, sculpture, masks, and information about Costa Rican folk art and native art and artifacts
Recipes of Costa Rica (Costarica.com)
Find recipes of popular Costa Rican dishes.
The Tico Times Online (Tico Times)
Read current news from and explore the archives of Costa Rica’s leading English-language newspaper

The Economy

All About Chocolate: Growing Chocolate (Field Museum)
Discover what it takes to make chocolate, from growing cacao trees, to harvesting seeds, to processing cocoa
Costa Rica: The Banana Industry (Infocostarica)
Learn about Costa Rica’s banana industry
Costa Rica: The Coffee Industry (Infocostarica)
Find out more about Costa Rica’s coffee industry
Costa Rica Economy (Photo.net) Find information about the Costa Rican economy
Costa Rica Profile: Economy (Nationmaster.com) The latest facts and figures about the Costa Rican economy
Currency Converter (Bloomberg.com) Convert U.S. dollars to Costa Rican colones

For More Information

Country Profile: Costa Rica (BBC News) Find up-to-date headlines, colorful maps, timeline, overview, and watch video news clips
Costa Rica (Costarica.com) General information about Costa Rica and tourist links
Costa Rica (CountryReports.org) Find general country information, including geography, government, and economy
Costa Rica (Info Costa Rica) Explore Costa Rica’s land, history, people, and more, as well as find maps, photographs, and brief Spanish lessons
Costa Rica (Lonely Planet) Travel tips and country information
Costa Rica: Photo Gallery (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) Find colorful photographs of Costa Rica, its plants and animals, popular and historic sites, and more
The Costa Rican National Anthem (National-Anthems.net) Download and listen to the Costa Rican national anthem

Teacher Resources

Chocolate: Educators' Resources (Field Museum)
Help students learn about geography, biology, and history with the lure of chocolate (grades 6 to 12)
Costa Rica, Land of Pure Life: Teachers Resources (PBS Online)
Two adaptable lessons from PBS Online exploring lifecycles and ecosystems and volcanoes and soil formation (grades 5 to 12)
Four Social Studies Lessons on Costa Rica (LessonPlansPage.com)
Four lessons teachers can use or adapt for social studies units on Costa Rica (grades 5 to 12)
Rain Forest Fieldtrip: Teacher’s Resources (Tramline)
Help students explore rain forests through lesson plans, resources, interviews with researchers, maps, and more (grades 4 to 12)

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