Costa Rica

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica , one of the smallest of the Latin American republics , is bounded by Nicaragua on the north and Panama on the south . Its longer axis runs generally northwestsoutheast . About 51 ,011 square kilometers (almost 19 ,700 square miles ) in area , it is about as large as the North American states of Vermont and New Hampshire combined . Its length is 464 kilometers (288 miles ) and its width , at the broadest point between

the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea , is 274 kilometers (about 170 miles . Its Pacific coastline is 1 ,016 kilometers (about 630 miles ) as against 212 kilometers (about 130 miles ) on the Caribbean . There are three major harbors on the Pacific side--Puntarenas , Quepos and Golfito -but only one , Puerto Limun , on the Caribbean

Costa Rica is a tropical country , but the usual idea of heat implied by that term is exaggerated . The central portion , the Meseta Central , is a plateau some 60 miles in length and 30 miles in width (about 100 by 50 kilometers ) with altitudes ranging from 3 ,000 to 6 ,000 feet (about 900 to 1 ,800 meters . It enjoys an average temperature of about 68 ? F (20 C ) and a year-round climate that is much like May and early June weather in the Middle Atlantic States of the United States (Richard 1988

Outside the Meseta are a number of mountain ranges that moderate the climate of other areas , with individual peaks that rise to heights of 11 ,000 and 12 ,000 feet (3 ,400 and 3 ,800 meters . The lower levels , on both coasts , are hot , with average annual temperatures of about 86 ? F (30 ? C ) at sea level . Though the heat is more continuous in Costa Rica warmer weather is often experienced by those who have lived through the July and August temperatures of New York City , or many other cities of the United States

Costa Rica is fortunate in having abundant rainfall over most of its area . On the Meseta Central the average annual precipitation is about 80 inches (2 ,032 millimeters , on the Atlantic slopes 100 inches (2 ,540 millimeters , and on the Pacific coast about 70 inches (1 ,778 millimeters . On the Atlantic side , rainfall is distributed more or less regularly throughout the year , so that irrigation is not necessary for agriculture . In fact , the precipitation is so heavy as to handicap the production of certain crops , and the occasional deluges cause damage to highways , bridges and railroads . On the Meseta , and as a rule on the Pacific side , there is a dry season from December through March or April in some sectors of the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas this may extend into June . In these areas , extensive dry-season agriculture would be dependent upon irrigation (William , Gudmundson Kutschbach , 1995

Costa Rica is well supplied with rivers , but only a few are navigable Those on the Atlantic slope have an adequate...