A Brief History of Costa Rica

The geographic location of Costa Rica is considered a meeting place of several of the Pre-Columbian cultures. The region holds evidence of both the Mesoamerican and South American native cultures. Western settlement began with the first visit of Christopher Columbus in 1502, but for various reasons Costa Rica was not a major focus of the Spanish colonial rulers.

Though this factor allowed Costa Rica to develop without the heavy influence of colonial leadership and governance, it also kept the area from the financial prosperity enjoyed by other Spanish colonies. The lack of adequate trade routes and the absence of slavery forced the colonists of Costa Rica to work their own lands and rely on themselves and their neighbors for trade or barter. Today this classless form of society is reflected in the political and social systems of the country.

By 1821 Costa Rica was ready to join other Spanish colonies in a revolt against their mother land and declare independence from Spain. From 1823 to 1839 Costa Rica was then a state in the Federal Republic of Central America. After a dispute over the location of the capital the entire country left the Republic and declared itself a sovereign country with the merchant population in San Jose declaring their town the capital.

An small elite class of coffee barons and banana plantation owners developed, feeding money into public projects such as the National Theater and a national university. After a short civil war in 1948 when the current president refused to cede his power, the new government abolished the nation’s army, dedicating the country to democracy and the good of the people.

The political and governmental system that developed still exists today, and Costa Rica is a democratic republic with popularly elected leaders. The country enjoys a remarkably steady and strong economy due to the stability within its government, and today Costa Rica is a popular choice of foreign investors and tourists.

Where foreign affairs are concerned the country has a long history of fostering human rights and human rights protections as a method of securing sustainable development, stability and growth. The country actively participates in the United Nations and the Organization of American States among other human rights and democratic agencies. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations University of Peace are also based in Costa Rica because of the country’s human rights focus and goals.

Today around 92% of the population of Costa Rica practices a Christian faith, and the state religion is Catholicism. Because of this fact only Roman Catholic marriages are legally recognized throughout the country and by the government. Anyone who needs or wishes to wed outside of the Catholic Church is required to hire a lawyer or legal assistance to perform and register the wedding in a civil court or office.

Finally, Costa Rica has a strong history of high quality education and standards. The country’s literacy rate is the highest in Latin America and universal public education was guaranteed in the country’s Constitution. Primary education is obligatory throughout Costa Rica and elementary as well as high schools are founded in every community.