Puerto Limón is the capital city of Costa Rica and the country's main Caribbean port with a population of around 105,000 (including many neighboring small cities). The city and the province in general, is home to most of Costa Rica's citizens of African descent. Originally from Jamaica, these workers were brought to the area in the late 19th century to build the railroad line from San José to Limón. The train boosted the country's banana exports and economy in general. By the time the line was closed, the city was the country's primary harbor. Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, 10° north of the equator and 84° west of the Prime Meridian. It borders both the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with a total of 802 miles (1,290 kilometers) of coastline. It is about the size of West Virginia and shares that state's reputation for excellent whitewater kayaking and rafting opportunities. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army and is home to a rich variety of plants and animals; while the country has only about 0.1 percent of the world's landmass, it contains 5 percent of the world's biodiversity. About 23 percent of Costa Rica is composed of protected forests and reserves.
costa rica’s culture
With a relatively small Native American population, Costa Rica has been strongly influenced by the culture and traditions of Spain. The Roman Catholic cultural pattern of Spain, with emphasis on the family and the church, has evolved into a national style of life. Festivals in honor of patron saints are a colorful part of village and town life. The guitar, accordion, and mandolin have traditionally been the most popular musical instruments.
costa rica’s agriculture
Some 9.9 percent of Costa Rica’s land area is under cultivation or used for plantation agriculture. Apart from banana plantations, most of the agricultural landholdings are small. Coffee, one of the most valuable crops, is cultivated mainly in the central plateaus. In 2002, 155,200 metric tons of coffee was produced. Bananas are raised in the tropical coastal regions on plantations. In the late 19th and early 20th century a United States firm, the United Fruit Company (now United Brands), opened the largest banana plantation in the world on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and constructed the ports of Quepos and Golfito as banana-shipping points. Cacao, sugarcane, and pineapples are also raised primarily for export. Corn, rice, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton are generally cultivated throughout the country.
posted by Hills @ 4:22 PM
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