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Costa Rica is a Central American country about the size of the State of North Carolina in the United States with both a Pacific and a Caribbean coastline. Local legend has it that Costa Rica received its name from the earliest of Spanish Explorers, Christopher Columbus. After seeing fine gold jewelry worn by the native American Indians living on its coast, Columbus remarked that the coast must be rich in gold deposits. From then on the land was referred to by these and other explorers as the �Rich Coast,� or Costa Rica. Costa Rica is now populated by over 4,000,000 residents, Additionally, Costa Rica has attracted many foreigners from all over the world including over 200,000 North American and Canadian citizens attracted by the country's high standard of living and respect for democracy. �La pura vida�, or �pure life� expression in Costa
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Rica is commonly used to answer any question about the condition of anything or anybody of reference. It expresses the spirit and pride of the Costa Rican people who are inevitable supporters and defenders of the underdog. The pura vida expression, unique to this country combines the Costa Rican ideals of peace, hospitality, and joy of living that causes many culture and civilization texts to refer to Costa Rica as the �Switzerland� of Central America.
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Costa Rica enjoys a long history of political stability�this in spite of lacking any armed defense forces. The country is one of few who can claim to spend more of their national budget on education than on a national defense. Indeed, Costa Rica has proven itself as one of the most stable democracies throughout Latin America. Said to enjoy a climate similar to that of Florida, it has rapidly become a favorite retirement option among peoples of many cultures and countries.
Costa Rica is famous for the opportunities it provides students to safely study both the Spanish Language and its diversity of climate, animal life, and ecology second to none in what it has to offer. There is warm �florida-like weather along its Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, and cool sweater type weather in the
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mountains. Costa Rica is famous for its beaches and variety of tropical flora and fauna drawing thousands of tourists monthly to experience the pure life of Costa Rica�s natural scenic beauty.
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