Costa Rica’s History
Costa Rica is known for being a peaceful and democratic country with an incredible biodiversity. Throughout the years, Costa Rica has evaded arm conflicts and the country has focused on enhancing life for its citizens. Costa Rica has high health indicators, a good standard of living and high literacy rates.
Costa Ricans trace their roots back to Spanish colonizing families and their indigenous partners. When the Spaniards arrived in Costa Rica they found a rugged topography and a scattered indigenous population. As a matter of fact the country was the poorest colony in the Spanish Empire. Actually this became a blessing for the Costa Rica, because due to this reason the Spaniards didn’t introduce semi-feudal institutions into the country. Costa Rica car rental 4×4.
Most of the indigenous population fled into the Talamanca mountains, escaping from slavery. Several of them died due to wars of resistance, epidemics and wars among rival tribes. Other indigenous groups were well assimilated by the society. Still many keep their identity because they lived and still live in secluded mountain regions.
Since the Indians were exterminated and assimilated, the Costa Rican society is more homogeneous. The noticeable class divisions that still exist in other Latin American countries never developed here.
Costa Rica received its independence from Spain in 1821. The Spaniards in Costa Rica were astonished by the announcement. The letter informing about the liberation took one month to arrive from Guatemala. Costa Rica car rental Company.
Costa Rica had been a subsistence economy and a cash crop was needed in order to sustain the economy. The governor decided to offer free land to all those the people willing to grow coffee and that is how Costa Rica became a nation of small farmers and landowners. Costa Rica began producing coffee and the first export was made in 1820.
In the 1830s, Costa Ricans began to grow coffee in the highlands for the European market. Small farmers sold their crop to central processing plants called “beneficios”, and the wealthy owners of the “beneficios” then exported the beans.
In the 1870’s it was necessary to build a railroad to the Atlantic coast in order to increase the coffee exports to Europe. For this project the Costa Rican government contracted U.S. builders in exchange for a land grant on both sides of the way. While the road was being built, the American company decided to start growing and exporting bananas. When the railroad was finished, bananas had become one of the most important exports in the country. Costa Rica is among the top five biggest banana exporters at a global level. Car rental Costa Rica San Jose.