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Capital: |
San José |
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Area: |
51,100 square kilometers
32,682 square miles |
which is slightly smaller than
West Virginia |
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Population: |
3,896,092
(July 2003 est.) |
The number is suspected to be
higher
due to undocumented immigrants |
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Official Religion: |
Catholic |
(with freedom of expression of
other beliefs) |
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Official Language: |
Spanish |
English widely understood in tourist
areas and
spoken in parts of the Caribbean coast |
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National Flower: |
Purple Guaria Orchid |
(Cattleya skinneri) |
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National Tree: |
Guanacaste |
(Enterolobium ciclocarpum) |
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National Bird: |
Yiguirro |
(Tudus grayi) |
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Business Hours: |
Government Sector: |
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday |
(generally) |
Private Sector: |
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through
Friday |
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National Banks: |
8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through
Friday |
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Legal Holidays: |
January 1 |
First day of the year |
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April 11 |
Juan Santamaría |
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Day Easter Week: |
Thursday and Good Friday |
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May 1 |
International Labor Day |
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September 15: |
Independence Day |
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December 25 |
Christmas Day |
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Major Cities: |
Alajuela, Heredia,
Cartago, San Isidro del General, Cuidad Quesada, Liberia,
Puntarenas, Limón
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Highest Peak: |
Cerro Chirripó |
3820 meters (12,530) above sea
level. |
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Gross National Product: |
$3,500 |
per capita (1999) |
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Unemployment rate: |
6.2% |
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Literacy rate: |
97% |
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Life expectancy: |
76.1 years |
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