CU Travels Presents:CU Travels Presents:

Costa Rica!!!Costa Rica!!!Presented by Lindsay Booth Presented by Lindsay Booth

and Connor Degnanand Connor Degnan

General InformationGeneral Information

• Located in Central Located in Central America between America between Nicaragua and Nicaragua and Panama between 8° Panama between 8° and 11° North Latitude and 11° North Latitude near the Equatornear the Equator

• Area: 50,895 square Area: 50,895 square kilometerskilometers

• Population: 3 millionPopulation: 3 million

• Capital: San JoseCapital: San Jose

VegetationVegetation

•9,000 Species of Flora9,000 Species of Flora

•Lush, fertile RainforestsLush, fertile Rainforests

•ConservationConservation

•Tropical Dry ForestTropical Dry Forest

Tortuguero National ParkTortuguero National Park

• Best known Best known National ParkNational Park

• ¾ of the East Coast¾ of the East Coast

• Various Flora and Various Flora and Fauna including Fauna including Bromeliads and Bromeliads and OrchidsOrchids

• 405 Species of 405 Species of BirdsBirds

Monteverde Cloud ForestMonteverde Cloud Forest

• Tilarán Mountain Tilarán Mountain RangeRange

• 26000 Acres26000 Acres• 2000 plant species2000 plant species• High elevation and High elevation and

constantly covered constantly covered by cloudsby clouds

• 8 different 8 different ecological zonesecological zones

Manuel Antonio National Manuel Antonio National ParkPark

• Rainforest and BeachesRainforest and Beaches

• Adventure Activities such as Adventure Activities such as horseback riding and Kayakinghorseback riding and Kayaking

Climate and PrecipitationClimate and Precipitation

• “ “ No climate can, I imagine, be more No climate can, I imagine, be more favorable to fertility and to man’s favorable to fertility and to man’s comfort at the same time than that comfort at the same time than that of the interior of Costa Rica”of the interior of Costa Rica” English 19 English 19thth-Century Novelist -Century Novelist Anthony TrollopeAnthony Trollope

Climate BasicsClimate Basics

• Tropical with many Tropical with many distinct climate zonesdistinct climate zones

• Two Distinct Seasons:Two Distinct Seasons:

1)Dry (May to 1)Dry (May to December)December)

2)Wet (January-2)Wet (January-May)May)

• Average Average Temperature Temperature ranges from 71° to ranges from 71° to 81°81°

• March to May tends March to May tends to be the hottest to be the hottest monthsmonths

WeatherWeather

• Due to solar radiation and air Due to solar radiation and air circulationcirculation

• Heat puts air in motion and Heat puts air in motion and establishes windsestablishes winds

• North-easterly trade winds or North-easterly trade winds or “alisios”“alisios”

• Cloud forest ecosystemCloud forest ecosystem

Caribbean CoastCaribbean Coast

• Rainy season April-Rainy season April-DecemberDecember

• Dry Spell in Dry Spell in August/SeptemberAugust/September

• ““Temporales de Temporales de Atlantico”Atlantico”

• Limon & CahuitaLimon & Cahuita

Pacific CoastPacific Coast

• Rainy season from Rainy season from May to NovemberMay to November

• North intense dry North intense dry seasonseason

• Central Valley mild Central Valley mild season and tempsseason and temps

• Guanacaste & Guanacaste & MontezumaMontezuma

Rainfall and PrecipitationRainfall and Precipitation

• 100 inches nationwide100 inches nationwide

• Majority falls on a few daysMajority falls on a few days

• Mountains: 150 inches/yearMountains: 150 inches/year

• Montane RainforestsMontane Rainforests

Thank You!!!Thank You!!!