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Who are the people?

The majority of Costa Ricans (94 percent of the population) are of Spanish and other European heritages. Three percent are of African descent. Small minorities of indigenous people and those of Chinese ancestry also inhabit the country. Spanish is the official language but many people speak English, especially in the Caribbean area.

Costa Rica is a predominantly agricultural country with expanding industries in manufacturing and tourism. Coffee, bananas, sugar, and other tropical fruits are the principal exports, along with manufactured products such as textiles. Health care here is among the most inexpensive in the world, with 10 percent of the Gross National Product being spent on a health system that covers everyone from birth.

Poverty is severe in rural areas. For many impoverished families, education beyond the basic level is a luxury. Children most often begin working at a young age to help feed their families. To enable these families to improve their quality of life and increase incomes, World Vision offers training to help parents start small businesses and learn how to market their products.

Through child sponsorship, families are becoming self-sufficient. In addition, they are trusting God as they build brighter futures for their children.

What is it like to live there?

The Central American nation of Costa Rica is situated between Nicaragua and Panama, with the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea forming its western and eastern borders.


 
Country Statistics 
Population4.3 million
Land Mass19,560 sq. miles
Life Expectancy77 years
Infant Mortality Rate11 / 1,000
Literacy Rate95%
School EnrollmentN/A
Access to Safe Water97%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)US$4,590
 
 
Costa Rica is diverse in geography as well as climate. Broad plains along the eastern and western coastlines are separated by volcanic mountain ranges that run the entire length of the country.

Dry tropical forests and rolling plains in the north transition to wet tropical jungles in the south. Temperatures range from 59°F in the highlands to 80°F in the plains. From May to November, heavy rains fall along the Caribbean coast and in the southern Pacific regions. More than half of the population lives in the farming area of the Central Valley.

Named by Christopher Columbus in 1502, Costa Rica (“Rich Coast”) was a Spanish colony until gaining independence in 1821. Notable among Latin American countries for its longstanding form of government, Costa Rica has been a democratic republic since 1889.

Poverty has long been a problem in rural Costa Rica and is now on the rise in urban areas as well. With the support of child sponsors, boys and girls in Costa Rica have new hope for better educational opportunities, improved nutrition, and experiencing the love of God.


How You Can Pray for Your Sponsored Child
  • Pray that your sponsored child might respond to God’s love and grace.
  • Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
  • Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.
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