Costa Rica — books & literature

The story of Costa Rica

Costa Rica's story begins with indigenous peoples such as the Chorotega, Boruca, and Bribri, who lived across the isthmus for centuries before European contact, leaving behind artifacts like the mysterious stone spheres of the Diquís region. Christopher Columbus landed on the Caribbean coast in 1502, and Spanish colonists later named the land 'Costa Rica' , the 'Rich Coast' , though it turned out to hold more fertile soil than gold. Spanish rule was thin here compared to richer colonies, leaving a legacy of small, relatively equal landholding farmers rather than large plantations. Costa Rica declared independence from Spain in 1821 as part of a joint Central American declaration, briefly joined a Mexican empire and then a Central American federation, before becoming a fully sovereign republic in 1848. Coffee exports in the 19th century built the country's early wealth and connected it to world markets. The defining modern turn came after the brief 1948 civil war, when the government of José Figueres Ferrer abolished the national army in 1948-1949, redirecting resources toward education, healthcare, and conservation. Today Costa Rica is known worldwide for political stability, biodiversity, and its 'pura vida' outlook on life.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 1000 BCE - 1500 CE

   Indigenous cultures (Chorotega, Boruca, Bribri and others) develop across the isthmus, including the pre-Columbian stone spheres of the Diquís region.

2. 1502

   Christopher Columbus lands near present-day Limón on his fourth voyage.

3. 1563

   Cartago is founded and becomes the colonial capital of the province.

4. 1821

   Independence from Spain declared (15 September), as part of the Central American declaration.

5. 1823

   San José becomes the capital after a brief civil conflict with Cartago.

6. 1848

   Costa Rica becomes a fully sovereign republic.

7. 1948-1949

   Civil war is followed by the abolition of the national army under José Figueres Ferrer, enshrined in the 1949 Constitution.

8. 1987

   President Óscar Arias Sánchez wins the Nobel Peace Prize for the Esquipulas II Central American peace plan.

9. 1994

   Constitutional reform recognises the right to a healthy environment, reinforcing decades of conservation policy.

Top 10 things to know about Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948-1949, one of the few countries in the world with no standing army.
2. The country holds roughly 5% of the world's known biodiversity despite covering about 0.03% of the planet's land area.
3. Over a quarter of Costa Rica's territory is protected as national parks, reserves, or refuges.
4. Costa Rica generates the vast majority of its electricity from renewable sources, mainly hydropower, geothermal, and wind.
5. "Pura vida" ("pure life") is both a greeting and a national philosophy of contentment and simplicity.
6. The country has coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
7. The pre-Columbian stone spheres of the Diquís region are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8. Costa Rica is regarded as one of the most stable, long-running democracies in Latin America.
9. Coffee has been a cornerstone export since the 19th century and remains central to the national economy and identity.
10. The colón, the national currency, is named after Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón).

Famous people from Costa Rica

Say it in Costa Rica's language

Did you know?

• ★Costa Rica has no standing army, having abolished it constitutionally in 1949 and redirected the budget toward education and healthcare.
• ★Despite its small size, Costa Rica is home to an estimated 5% of the world's known species.
• ★"Pura vida" is used by Costa Ricans as a hello, goodbye, thank-you, and general answer to "how are you?" , a whole philosophy in two words.

Costa Rica culture

• Independence Day on 15 September is celebrated nationwide with lantern parades (faroles) made by schoolchildren.
• Gallo pinto, a rice-and-beans dish, is the everyday national breakfast staple.
• Ecotourism and conservation are woven into national identity, from cloud forests like Monteverde to nesting sea turtles on both coasts.
• Football (soccer) is the most popular sport, with the national team a source of major national pride.

Why read Costa Rica's books

Costa Rican literature is a smaller but distinct voice in Central American letters, shaped by writers like Carmen Naranjo who wrote about identity, gender, and the modern Costa Rican experience. Reading Costa Rica's books is a window into a nation that chose classrooms and conservation over an army.