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This site is devoted to Costa Rica: its Nature, pictures, geography, history, culture, maps and (mostly nature oriented) selected news.
You are invited to enjoy Costa Rica vacations and travel well informed, while helping its Nature Sustainability and Conservancy.
All this work is intended for the Costa Rica Nature conservancy over the profit, for the ecological tourism with sustainability,
for the canalization of the incoming foreign resources toward the small-scale touristic development, which in most the cases
are family maintained (with all the rich culture and charming idiosyncrasy), as well as the restoration and protection of
the environment applying the knowledge of Costa Rican and international scientific and academic authorities
in the fields of biology, geology, chemistry, geography, archaeology and history among others.
Costa Rica 21 is not only about our present 21st century, but also before an after...
... So, welcome to ...
The Atlantic seashore of Costa Rica was discovered in 1502 by Columbus while his 4th and last voyage. Although explored by the Spanish in the beginnings of the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved to be not possible due to several of factors like mosquitoes, heat, resistance by natives, and pirates...
Then, in 1563 a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler and fertile (by volcano ashes) central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries, up to 1821, when Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that declared together their independence from Spain.
A United Provinces of Central America was joined two years later, only for its disintegration in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. It is remarkable that since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have spoiled the democratic development of the country.
Despite a large agricultural sector it still remaining, Costa Rica has enlarged its economy by including ecotourism and high technology industries. The land ownership is widespread and the standard of living is relatively high.
Costa Rica keeps safe 23% of its national territory within the Protected Areas system, and possesses the greatest density of species in the world.
Costa Rica Provinces
Heredia San José Alajuela Puntarenas Guanacaste Limón Cartago |
Arenal Volcano || Natural Hot Springs || Tropical Waterfalls || Tropical Rainforest || Tropical Dry Forest || Bird Watching || Canopy Tours |
Butterfly Garden || Leaf Cutter Ants || Tree Frogs || Rainforest Frogs || American Crocodile || Exotic Birds || Monkeys |
Arenal Volcano is the youngest and most active volcano in Costa Rica, and currently one of the most active volcanoes in the world as well. Is an stratovolcano that has been producing lava and pyroclastic flows in a continuous way since July 29, 1968; despite this activity was a danger to people living at its NW flanks in that date, today is a great attraction for thousands of tourists over the years: with good weather it delivers spectacular lava eruption nocturnal views. Even at day, thanks to its daily continuous volcanic activity, there are some remarkable eruptions that make it a great experience to witness. Located close to the eastern extreme of Lake Arenal (northwestern Costa Rica), Arenal Volcano was considered by locals as a perfect conical shaped peak or mountain prior to its violent awakening, but at present it is known that its volcanic activity has been occurred (with dormancy periods) for the last 7,000 years. Arenal Volcano geothermal energy makes possible to enjoy relaxing hot springs and is the base for ecotourism at Arenal area. New Arenal Volcano Pictures: gallery with the most recent and updated photographs of Arenal Volcano, with information in each photo; sorted chronologically, so it can be appreciated in detail the behaviour, majestic and power of this active volcano. Most recent Arenal Volcano activity! At 24 May 2010, from 10:00 am, there is a new significant volcanic activity (picture at left), with about 10 pyroclastic flows observed in a period of two hours (11:00 am - 1:00 pm), and there was also ash fall on the W and N surroundings. Learn more with detailed reports about this volcanic activity in 24 May 2010; spectacular pictures as well as up to date information from Arenal Volcano National Park, OVSICORI and RSN. As you can see depicted at left (picture taken by OVSICORI at February 24, 2010), a lava flow is running throughout the S flank. This is a natural manifestation of a volcanic activity that has characterized Arenal throughout the years. Learn more with the most recent report of volcanic activity of Arenal Volcano; up to date information and pictures from official sources. Enjoy all the geothermal power of Arenal Volcano in the Natural Hot Springs waters, fully loaded with warm healthy energy and minerals. As a natural treasure from the pristine rain forest water to the human skin and body, it enables to get all the relaxation needed at any of the hot springs facilities available (either hydro-massage hot tubs, hot springs pools, or a spa). |
Costa Rica Weather: ☀ | ☀⛅ | ✧☽ ☁ See more details and the conditions with forecast for each climatic region based on data from the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, IMN (National Meteorological Institute). Consult the weather weekly forecast and see by yourself the current conditions (where is sunny, or where is cloudy) with the near real-time satellite image. If available, there is also information about possible influences from oceanic disturbs on Costa Rica and its respective forecasts from NHC, USA. The Tropical Rainforest is the most diverse biome in the world, and Costa Rica is a very representative example; featuring an incommesurably rich flora & fauna treasury. These includes a full range of singularly colored and shaped creatures like the Blue Morpho Butterfly, the Hercules beetle, the Poison Dart Frog, the Green Basilisk, the slow Sloth, the colorful Rainbow-Billed Toucan, the Howler Monkey and the funny Coati; which are the most typical and symbolic rainforest animals inhabiting this kind of environment.
Even more impressive is the quantity of plants covering the very fertile soil of Costa Rica. Moss, ferns, palms into the rain forest; almost every tree seems different; and even high up on each one there is a huge variety of vines and epiphytes. Even more, there are vines interwoven with vines, and ferns growing up at the moss covered intersections! There are so many amazing birds to see and hear, ... the colorful toucans, parrots, hummingbirds, tanagers, honeycreepers, robins, etc; and you can see some of them at the rain forest, with the canopy tour and with the nature tour options of Costa Rica tour operator services, specially the bird watching tour. You can see exotic and colorful rainforest frogs as well as massive and powerful reptiles as the crocodile. The Costa Rican diversity of colorful butterflies, features the Blue Morpho butterfly among others. From the Rainbow-Billed Toucans in the Rain Forest, passing on the Tropical Cloud Forest inhabited by the Resplendent Quetzal, to the White-throated Magpie-Jay and the Turquoise-browed Motmot at the Tropical Dry Forest; this variety of Costa Rican forests provides a plenty of Bird Watching delights, as your eyes and ears can be pleased with such huge exotic bird diversity this country has to offer. |
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