In 2023 thirty National Parks of Costa Rica are managed under the umbrella of SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion), a department of Costa Rica's Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). All told, Costa Rica's protected areas, including national parks, encompass more than 25% of the country's total land area.[1] Many of these protected areas are national parks.
Costa Rica's progressive policies on environmental protection and sustainable ecotourism in the National Parks System have been lauded as a model for other countries. The rainforests, tropical forests, marine areas and wetlands of Costa Rica are the subject of many university and scientific organization studies. The enrichment of the world's knowledge of these important habitats is an invaluable contribution from the National Parks System of Costa Rica.
The Camino de Costa Rica is a 280km long hiking trail across Costa Rica. It runs from the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean coast), the southernmost part of the Tortuguero Canals, up the mountain and through indigenous territory near the Barbilla National Park and through valleys and mountain ranges of the central region of the country, just south of the Turrialba and Irazu Volcanos and through the Los Santos coffee region down to the Pacific coast in Quepos.
Arenal Volcano, 1,633m (5,358ft) in elevation, has been active almost continuously since 1968. A second volcano, Chato, has a lake in the crater.[4][5]
Elevations from 110m (360ft) to 1,600m (5,200ft), The park features foot travel in wet and very wet rain forests and pumas, jaguars, ocelots, and tapirs.[7]
Steep topography, several volcanoes, rain forests, and proximity to the capital city of San José are attractions. The highest elevation is 2,906m (9,534ft)[9]
Near the Pacific Ocean, Carara is the northernmost coastal rain forest in Costa Rica. The park is popular with bird watchers and has a large population of scarlet macaws.[11]
Chirripó features Costa Rica's highest mountain with an elevation of 3,820m (12,530ft). Alpine tundra (Costa Rican Paramo) and glacial lakes are found at elevations above 3,000m (9,800ft)[12]
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cocos Island is 550km (340mi) off the Pacific Ocean coast of Costa Rica and features marine life, evergreen forests, and waterfalls.[13]
On the Pacific coast, most of the park is shallow lagoons, mangrove forests, beaches, and low altitude cloud forests. Access is only with approved guide.[14]
Irazú is Costa Rica's highest volcano at 3,432m (11,260ft). A paved road reaches to near the summit from where both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts can be seen.[17]
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest wilderness area in Costa Rica, the park extends into Panama. Rugged terrain and some of the highest mountains in the country are features. Bio-diversity is outstanding for both flora and fauna.[19]
Most of this park is ocean. The beaches of Las Baulas are the largest nesting ground in the world for sea turtles. The coastal area of the park features mangrove forests.[21]
Rich as it is in biological life, Piedras Blancas is also part of the Osa Conservation Area along with several adjoining parks and reserves devoted to conservation.
The volcano, 2,708m (8,885ft) in elevation, has several fumaroles emitting gas and causing acid rain which has killed much of the vegetation and force frequent closure of the park.[26]
The volcano, 1,916m (6,286ft) in elevation is continuously active with foot trails to nine volcanic cones, fumaroles, mud pits, and hot springs.[27][28]
Santa Rosa protects a dry tropical forest and beaches with sea turtle nests. The park is the site of the Battle of Santa Rosa and military monuments.[29]
Elevations up to 2,560m (8,400ft), rain forests, ancient oak and alder trees characterize this park in one of the rainiest parts of Costa Rica.[31] Precipitation exceeds 6,500mm (260in) annually.[32]
Two-thirds of the park is water. The park hosts the largest green turtle nesting beach in the Americas. Ninety-nine percent of the park is for preservation; one percent is open to visitors.[33]
Arenal Volcano is an active andesitic stratovolcano in north-western Costa Rica around 90 km (56 mi) northwest of San José, in the province of Alajuela, canton of San Carlos, and district of La Fortuna. The Arenal volcano measures at least 1,633 metres (5,358 ft) high. It is conically shaped with a crater 140 metres (460 ft) in diameter. Geologically, Arenal is considered a young volcano and it is estimated to be less than 7,500 years old. It is also known as "Pan de Azúcar", "Canaste", "Volcan Costa Rica", "Volcan Río Frío" or "Guatusos Peak".
Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern region of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Alajuela Province to the east, and Puntarenas Province to the southeast. It is the most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Costa Rica. The province covers an area of 10,141 square kilometres (3,915 sq mi) and as of 2010, had a population of 354,154, with annual revenue of $2 billion.
The Irazú Volcano is an active volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the Cordillera Central close to the city of Cartago.
National System of Conservation Areas is part of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica. It is the administrator for the nation's national parks, conservation areas, and other protected natural areas.
Tapantí - Cerro de la Muerte Massif National Park,, is a National Park in the Central Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the edge of the Talamanca Range, near Cartago. It protects forests to the north of Chirripó National Park, and also contains part of the Orosí River. The area known as Cerro de la Muerte Massif was added to the park on January 14, 2000.
The Cordillera de Guanacaste, also called Guanacaste Cordillera, are a volcanic mountain range in northern Costa Rica near the border with Nicaragua. The mountain range stretches 110 km from northwest to the southeast and contains mostly complex stratovolcanoes. The range forms part of the southern region of the Continental Divide, with the highest peak is the stratovolcano Miravalles at 2,028 m.
Rincón de la Vieja National Park, is a National Park in Guanacaste Province of the northwestern part of Costa Rica.
Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area, is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the northwest part of Costa Rica, near the Arenal Volcano and covering part of the Cordillera de Tilarán and Cordillera de Guanacaste. It contains a number of National Parks, Wildlife refuges and Protected Zones. The area was previously known as Arenal Tilarán Conservation Area.
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the eastern part of Costa Rica, on the Caribbean coast. It contains several national parks, and a number wildlife refuges and other types of nature reserve.
Central Conservation Area, is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the central part of Costa Rica, notably the volcanic areas of the Cordillera Central. It contains six National Parks, several wildlife refuges and other types of nature reserves.
The Talamancan montane forests ecoregion, in the tropical moist broadleaf forest biome, are in montane Costa Rica and western Panama in Central America.
The Costa Rican páramo, also known as the Talamanca páramo, is a natural region of montane grassland and shrubland of Costa Rica and western Panama.
Playa Grande, also known as Salinas, is a beach community on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica just north of Tamarindo. It is located inside the canton of Santa Cruz in Guanacaste Province. Playa Grande has been part of the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas since 1990. There are palm trees and vegetation around the beach, which stretches for about 4.5 kilometers. It is part of the Las Baulas National Marine Park, which was established to protect the nesting grounds of endangered leatherback turtles. Playa Grande is one of the major nesting sites for these turtles, and visitors can witness the nesting and hatching process during the nesting season, which typically occurs from October to March. The main attraction of Playa Grande is its surf breaks. The beach has consistent waves. Playa Grande is an ideal destination for nature lovers, with diverse ecosystems surrounding it. Beyond the beach, you can explore the nearby mangrove forests, take boat tours along the estuaries, or venture into the neighboring national parks, such as Rincon de la Vieja or Santa Rosa, which offer hiking trails, wildlife spotting opportunities, and breathtaking landscapes.
Tourism in Costa Rica has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, over 2 million in 2008, to a historical record of 2.66 million foreign visitors in 2015. In 2012, tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment. In 2009, tourism attracted 17% of foreign direct investment inflows, and 13% in average between 2000 and 2009. In 2010, the tourism industry was responsible for 21.2% of foreign exchange generated by all exports. According to a 2007 report by ECLAC, tourism contributed to a reduction in poverty of 3% in the country.
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Republic of Costa Rica.
Rincón de la Vieja is an active andesitic complex volcano in north-western Costa Rica, about 23 km (14 mi) from Liberia, in the province of Guanacaste.
Los Quetzales National Park, located 97 kilometers from San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica, it was created in 2006 by decree 32981-MINAE. It is managed under the Central Conservation Area of the National System of Conservation Areas.
Miravalles Protected Zone is a nature reserve in the northwest part of Costa Rica, which forms part of the Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area. The site contains the Miravalles Volcano, which is still active although the last recorded eruption was only of steam vents in 1946. The zone was created on 16 March 1976 by Executive Decree 5836-A.
Los Santos Forest Reserve, is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Conservation Area and Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area, it was created in 1975 by decree 5389-A.
The Costa Rican seasonal moist forests ecoregion covers the Pacific Slope of the volcanic mountain range of northwestern Costa Rica and the extreme south of Nicaragua. The area has a distinct dry season during which the characteristic deciduous trees drop their leaves. The forests themselves have been highly degraded in the past by human conversion to agriculture and settlement. The Costa Rican capital city of San Jose is in the middle of this ecoregion.
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