Costa Rica

Both the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines (except for very short stretches of the former) have large, typically tropical beaches with luxuriant beautiful vegetation. They are part of the national heritage and as such free access to and full enjoyment of the same is guaranteed. Some of them have been declared national parks or reserves, and in some cases sanctuaries too for the protection of animal species in danger of extinction. In the last few years, particularly, there has been a striking rise in the construction and equipping of modern beach hotels and other private hotel facilities, as well as other facilities created by the Costa Rica tourist board. The state has taken great care to provide proper communications of all kinds and thus there is guarantee that these natural beauty spots will be enjoyed to the full. A safe, modern and flexible system of communications with the capital has transformed our beaches into musts for visitors, both from Costa Rica and from abroad all the year around.

Traditionally and historically, agriculture is the most important sector of Costa Rica economy. The large coffee plantations of the 19th century have made the sustained development of the country possible. Cane sugar and bananas also are important sectors of the national economy; then, other plantations became important such as grain, vegetables, pulses, tobacco and fruit and thus the nation has achieved autonomy. Cocoa and cotton have also developed fairly well, the former on the Atlantic coastline and the second in the north-west plains in the province of Guanacaste. In recent years there has been an intensification (now on an industrial scale) of the cultivation of flowers, especially for export. Experiments and important studies have been carried out for the exploitation of species and fruit such as apples and grapes, which grow in a fertile soil and under a benign sky. In some parts of the country there is still the craft production of vegetable fiber used in weaving, although this now constitutes a smaller market vis-à-vis the synthetic fibers which have been produced either in the country itself or imported.

As Costa Rica has been called the country of friendship, so it could be well called the country of flowers, particularly because of the extraordinary variety of orchids which adorn its woods and which have made it world-famous. It is sufficient to take a trip around the countryside of Costa Rica to contemplate the profusion and variety of flowers arranged in “corridors” and the gardens of houses as well as the living bushes of plantations and farms. If one wishes to take a closer look at the beautiful wealth of the country, this can be done in the large flower plantations which dedicated to the investigation and production for the home market and for the large foreign markets since their work reaches the highest standards of quality. Both the export of flowers as well as certified seeds occupies a very important position in the exportation of non-traditional products.