Costa Rica: flag, capital, currency and history
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America, the Americas. Its capital is San José. The currency is the Costa Rican colón. Languages spoken include Spanish.
Quick facts about Costa Rica
- Official name
- Republic of Costa Rica
- Capital
- San José
- Region
- Americas, Central America
- Currency
- Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +506
- Internet domain
- .cr
- Area
- 51,100 km² (19,730 sq mi)
- Demonym
- Costa Rican
- National day
- Independence Day, September 15
Flag of Costa Rica
Download the flag of Costa Rica as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇨🇷.
History of Costa Rica
Costa Rica lay between Mesoamerican and Andean cultural zones and was inhabited by diverse Indigenous groups. Christopher Columbus landed on the Caribbean coast in 1502, and the Spanish later settled the Central Valley, founding Cartago in 1563. The territory was a peripheral part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. Independence from Spain came in 1821, and after a period in the Federal Republic of Central America, Costa Rica became fully sovereign in 1838. A brief civil war in 1948 was followed by the 1949 constitution, which abolished the standing army. The country is a presidential republic.
Key dates
- 1502Christopher Columbus lands on the Caribbean coast during his fourth voyage.
- 1563The Spanish found Cartago, the first colonial capital.
- 1821Central America declares independence from Spain.
- 1838Costa Rica withdraws from the Federal Republic of Central America.
- 1948A civil war follows a disputed presidential election.
- 1949A new constitution abolishes the standing army.
A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.
Currency of Costa Rica
Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
The capital of Costa Rica is San José.
What currency does Costa Rica use?
Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican colón (CRC, symbol ₡).
What languages are spoken in Costa Rica?
Languages used in Costa Rica include Spanish.
What is the calling code of Costa Rica?
The international calling code of Costa Rica is +506. Its internet domain is .cr.
Which countries border Costa Rica?
Costa Rica shares land borders with Nicaragua and Panama.
On which continent is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is in Central America, part of the Americas, in the region of Central America.
What is the national day of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica marks Independence Day on September 15.
Neighbours of Costa Rica
More countries in Central America
Country data from the open mledoze/countries dataset (ODbL), with corrections. Flags from flag-icons (MIT).