Map of Cultural Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a very cultural place. The people of Costa Rica, called "Ticos", hold to their old practices and traditions. However, a taste of modernity has came into the country as well. Tourism is one of the biggest economic drives for many Costa Ricans. The map on the left shows the different places tourists and locals a like can have fun while discovering Costa Rica.
Citation: http://www.govisitcostarica.com/category/hotels/accommodations.asp
Citation: http://www.govisitcostarica.com/category/hotels/accommodations.asp
Additional Resources on Culture and Social Development
1. A more general overview on the different cultural aspects of the Costa Rican people. http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=50
2. This article talks more about the people of Costa Rica.
http://studiesabroad.com/programs/country/costa_rica/city/san_jose/cultureCorner/culturalHighlights
2. This article talks more about the people of Costa Rica.
http://studiesabroad.com/programs/country/costa_rica/city/san_jose/cultureCorner/culturalHighlights
Statistics of Costa Rica
Citation: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html
Statistical Change Over Time
Connecting the data and the charts above, Costa Rica is by far one of the better off Central American countries in terms of economic growth. In the first graph above, it can be clearly seen that the Gross Domestic Product of Costa Rica has risen since the past 51 years. This means that Costa Rica has been steadily producing more and more products each and every year since 1960. This will most likely cause the buying power of the average Costa Rican to go up, boosting the national economy of Costa Rica. Costa Rica also shares some major characteristics as the more modern and developed countries of the world. Costa Rica, as seen in the second graph above, has steadily been falling in the percentage rate of births. That means that more Costa Rican women are having less children. This can be due to many reasons, one of the major reasons is the easy access to birth control products like condoms and birth control pills. Costa Rica also suffers from the ups and downs of economic growth. In the last graph, one can see the employment rate for people over the age of 14 from 1992 to 2007. It can be clearly seen that Costa Rica does go through economic recessions just like the more third world countries.
Citation: http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=30;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=2007$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj1jiMAkmq1iMg;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=rV0ksExNqh6V_h40f0_nFjg;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=log;dataMin=283;dataMax=110808$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=27;dataMax=88$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i52_t001991,,,,
Citation: http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=30;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=2007$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj1jiMAkmq1iMg;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=rV0ksExNqh6V_h40f0_nFjg;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=log;dataMin=283;dataMax=110808$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=27;dataMax=88$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i52_t001991,,,,
Religion of Costa Rica
Like many Latin American nations, Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic. The Catholic Church has a strong presence in Costa Rica, where over seventy-two percent of the Costa Rican people are Catholic. The Catholic religion was introduced and spread throughout Costa Rica by missionaries in the late 15th century (state.gov). The Catholic priests would then convert many native populations to Catholicism. This is the main way that the Catholic religion was introduced and spread around Costa Rica. The second largest religious group in Costa Rica would be the Protestant religions, mainly the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Infocostarica). Because of the missionary practices that the Mormons use, it is not surprising that Mormonism has a presence in Costa Rica. Despite Roman Catholicism being the main dominant religion in Costa Rica, even having the religion been declared the official religion of the nation, Costa Rica continues to remain a secular nation and a nation that protects the freedom of religion.
More than the 90% of the Costa Ricans are catholic, but almost no one gets riled about his or her religion and faith, as religious freedom is granted by the constitution and upheld by the tolerant nature of the Ticos. Holy Week (the week before Easter) is a national holiday, and it’s supposed to be a time of prayers and good behavior, but people in almost every place of Costa Rica take it as an excuse for vacations and secular binge. Here the passing of the parish priest inspires no reverential gestures. And almost all Costa Ricans respond to the sound of the church’s bells only on special events, like baptism, marriage, and maybe the Easter morning masses. Even though Protestantism is present in the country, it has made little impact on the strong Catholic traditions that the Costa Rican people hold dear (state.gov).
There are many churches and temples in which people from any religion can go and worship. There are some catholic churches that are very popular with the catholic masses to attend. One church is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. This church is considered one of the top churches to worship at. There are also many Mormon and other protestant temples in the city of San Jose. Buddhist and Muslim mosques are also on the rise in Costa Rica (Infocostarica).
Costa Rica is a secular nation. That is, the government does not intertwine with religion. Much like the government of the United States. Costa Rica does however declare Roman Catholicism the official religion of the nation. Despite declaring an official religion, Costa Rica maintains freedom of religion for all its people.
Citation:
Costa Rica. (n.d.). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010_5/168207.htm
Costa Rica. (n.d.). Costa Rica - Religion in Costa Rica. Costa Rica Travel Information & Tips. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://www.infocostarica.com/culture/religion.html
More than the 90% of the Costa Ricans are catholic, but almost no one gets riled about his or her religion and faith, as religious freedom is granted by the constitution and upheld by the tolerant nature of the Ticos. Holy Week (the week before Easter) is a national holiday, and it’s supposed to be a time of prayers and good behavior, but people in almost every place of Costa Rica take it as an excuse for vacations and secular binge. Here the passing of the parish priest inspires no reverential gestures. And almost all Costa Ricans respond to the sound of the church’s bells only on special events, like baptism, marriage, and maybe the Easter morning masses. Even though Protestantism is present in the country, it has made little impact on the strong Catholic traditions that the Costa Rican people hold dear (state.gov).
There are many churches and temples in which people from any religion can go and worship. There are some catholic churches that are very popular with the catholic masses to attend. One church is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. This church is considered one of the top churches to worship at. There are also many Mormon and other protestant temples in the city of San Jose. Buddhist and Muslim mosques are also on the rise in Costa Rica (Infocostarica).
Costa Rica is a secular nation. That is, the government does not intertwine with religion. Much like the government of the United States. Costa Rica does however declare Roman Catholicism the official religion of the nation. Despite declaring an official religion, Costa Rica maintains freedom of religion for all its people.
Citation:
Costa Rica. (n.d.). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010_5/168207.htm
Costa Rica. (n.d.). Costa Rica - Religion in Costa Rica. Costa Rica Travel Information & Tips. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://www.infocostarica.com/culture/religion.html
Religious Map of the World
Cultural Diversity of Costa Rica
Costa Rica can be seen as a nation that is the melting pot of Latin America. The richness of Costa Rica stems from the cultural diversity of its people. Throughout its history, waves of immigrants have added to the pre-Hispanic native populations, settling on this land and making it their home. Presently, in addition to the majority Mestizo demographic, there are several colonial and national immigrant ethnicities that have restored their unique cultural heritage like African descendants, Chinese, Hebrews, Lebanese, Italians, etc., as well as native people of Bribri, Cabecar, Maleku, Teribe, Boruca, Ngobe, Huetar and Chorotega (angelo.edu).
Since there are various native and non-native ethnic cultures in Costa Rica, cultural diversity in the country is not in much danger. In fact, Costa Rica is seen as a culturally diverse nation. Because of this great immigration of foreigners to the country, Costa Rica is at risk of losing her cultural diversity. Rich individual people and wealthy corporation are trying to buy land in Costa Rica. Since Costa Rica offers low taxes to business, like the Intel Corporation, a lot of land is lost to these companies (cia.gov).
To combat this threat of foreigners and foreign companies coming into Costa Rica and using up the resources, Costa Rica has put a limit to the amount of land that companies can purchase. This would also have a tremendous impact on preserving the cultural identity and diversity of the Costa Rican people. Since most Costa Rican take pride in their natural environment, the people and government practice various ways to ensure the protection of the plants and animals. Costa Rican culture is very much intertwined with the environment of the country. The government has even given incentives to the farmers of Costa Rica to set aside a certain section of their land to allow for plant and animal growth (pbs.org).
Costa Rica has a good and strong cultural diversity in her people. This cultural diversity can be seen as both negative and positive, however. Because more and more people and companies come into the country, this cultural diversity is threatened because it threatens the bio-diversity of the nation too. Since many Costa Ricans make great lengths to preserve their bio-diversity and in turn protect their cultural diversity. It is especially good to know that the government has taken an active role in protecting these two great characteristics of the great nation of Costa Rica!
Sources:
Costa Rica's Biodiversity. (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/costarica061013/index.html
Costa Rica. (n.d.). Costa Rica. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from http://www.angelo.edu/dept/cis/country_profiles/costa_rica.php
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html
Since there are various native and non-native ethnic cultures in Costa Rica, cultural diversity in the country is not in much danger. In fact, Costa Rica is seen as a culturally diverse nation. Because of this great immigration of foreigners to the country, Costa Rica is at risk of losing her cultural diversity. Rich individual people and wealthy corporation are trying to buy land in Costa Rica. Since Costa Rica offers low taxes to business, like the Intel Corporation, a lot of land is lost to these companies (cia.gov).
To combat this threat of foreigners and foreign companies coming into Costa Rica and using up the resources, Costa Rica has put a limit to the amount of land that companies can purchase. This would also have a tremendous impact on preserving the cultural identity and diversity of the Costa Rican people. Since most Costa Rican take pride in their natural environment, the people and government practice various ways to ensure the protection of the plants and animals. Costa Rican culture is very much intertwined with the environment of the country. The government has even given incentives to the farmers of Costa Rica to set aside a certain section of their land to allow for plant and animal growth (pbs.org).
Costa Rica has a good and strong cultural diversity in her people. This cultural diversity can be seen as both negative and positive, however. Because more and more people and companies come into the country, this cultural diversity is threatened because it threatens the bio-diversity of the nation too. Since many Costa Ricans make great lengths to preserve their bio-diversity and in turn protect their cultural diversity. It is especially good to know that the government has taken an active role in protecting these two great characteristics of the great nation of Costa Rica!
Sources:
Costa Rica's Biodiversity. (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/costarica061013/index.html
Costa Rica. (n.d.). Costa Rica. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from http://www.angelo.edu/dept/cis/country_profiles/costa_rica.php
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook. Retrieved November 7, 2013, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html
Costa Rican Cuisine
Picture of Family and their Food: If a picture a typical Costa Rican family pictured with their food existed, it would consist of lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and various drinks. In Costa Rican cuisine, there is typically three meals in a day. For breakfast, the food includes eggs, fried plantains, and gallo pinto. Gallo pinto consists of white rice and black beans mixed with chopped onions and bell peppers. Some sort fruit drink is also served, such as orange juice. For lunch, rice and beans are again served. There is a meat served, like chicken or beef. It is topped off with a salad on the side and it is washed down with sweet water drink made of fruits known as a fresco.
Since coffee and bananas are Costa Rica's main export, these two ingredients are very common in Costa Rican dishes and drinks. Costa Rican food is not typically spicy as some people might think. However, chileros can be found in restaurants and are typically spicy.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the main ingredients in all Costa Rican dishes. Because of this, all vegetables are grown very locally and are always fresh. Costa Rica's tropical climate allows for various fruits and vegetables to be grown in large quantities locally.
Since coffee and bananas are Costa Rica's main export, these two ingredients are very common in Costa Rican dishes and drinks. Costa Rican food is not typically spicy as some people might think. However, chileros can be found in restaurants and are typically spicy.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the main ingredients in all Costa Rican dishes. Because of this, all vegetables are grown very locally and are always fresh. Costa Rica's tropical climate allows for various fruits and vegetables to be grown in large quantities locally.
Recipe for Gallo Pinto
Ingredients:
- For the beans
- 1 (16-ounce) bag dried small red or black beans
- Salt
- 7 garlic cloves, peeled
- For the rice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup), divided
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cored and seeded
Procedures:
1. For the beans: Spread beans out in a rimmed baking sheet. Pick out any debris and broken beans. Transfer beans to colander and rinse under cold running water. Place rinsed beans in a large pot and cover with cold water; water should cover beans about 3 inches. Let soak for 30 minutes.
2. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer beans for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, cover beans, and let rest 1 hour. Bring beans back up to boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until beans are tender, 30 to 60 minutes.
3. If storing the beans, cool completely, transfer beans and some of the cooking liquid to quart-sized zipper-lock bags. When ready to use, thaw out in refrigerator and heat on stove top in saucepan or microwave.
4. For the rice: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2/3 of onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains are shiny and evenly coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water or broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Place bell pepper on top of rice.
6. Boil rice without stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated and you can see small bubbles bursting on the surface of the rice. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook (do not stir, do not remove lid) for 15 minutes. Remove and discard bell pepper. Fluff rice with chopsticks or fork, then let cool and refrigerate for 1 day.
7. For the gallopinto: Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
8. Add rice and 2 cups beans to skillet and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated. Continue to cook, stirring, to allow flavors to meld and mixture to become slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat an additional 10 minutes.
1. For the beans: Spread beans out in a rimmed baking sheet. Pick out any debris and broken beans. Transfer beans to colander and rinse under cold running water. Place rinsed beans in a large pot and cover with cold water; water should cover beans about 3 inches. Let soak for 30 minutes.
2. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer beans for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, cover beans, and let rest 1 hour. Bring beans back up to boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until beans are tender, 30 to 60 minutes.
3. If storing the beans, cool completely, transfer beans and some of the cooking liquid to quart-sized zipper-lock bags. When ready to use, thaw out in refrigerator and heat on stove top in saucepan or microwave.
4. For the rice: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2/3 of onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains are shiny and evenly coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water or broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Place bell pepper on top of rice.
6. Boil rice without stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated and you can see small bubbles bursting on the surface of the rice. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook (do not stir, do not remove lid) for 15 minutes. Remove and discard bell pepper. Fluff rice with chopsticks or fork, then let cool and refrigerate for 1 day.
7. For the gallopinto: Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
8. Add rice and 2 cups beans to skillet and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated. Continue to cook, stirring, to allow flavors to meld and mixture to become slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat an additional 10 minutes.
Recipe Citation
- http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/05/gallopinto-nicaraguan-rice-and-beans-recipe.html
- http://costarica.com/culture/costa-rican-cuisine/