CORE —
EXTRACTED
EXTRACTED
THICKNESS ∝ EVENTS
← THE SECTION CUT · NORTH AMERICA
Costa Rica
10.0N 84.0W · 27 EVENTS · 9 DOMAINS
INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN · 15 SEPTEMBER 1821
▼ PULL DOWN TO EXTRACT THE CORE
1953 - present · Peace, Welfare, and the Green Republic
8 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1970 CE · National park system created 1 REF
1985 CE · A country without an army raises a force 1 REF
1948 - 1953 · Civil War and the Abolition of the Army
4 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1 Dec 1948 · The army abolished at the Bellavista barracks 2 REFS
1948 CE · Figueres leads the civil war 2 REFS
1870 - 1948 · Coffee, Bananas, and a Maturing Democracy
3 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1872 CE · Minor Keith and the banana railways 1 REF
1948 CE · Disputed election sparks civil war 2 REFS
1821 - 1889 · Independence and a Coffee Republic
8 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
15 Sept 1821 · Independence from Spain 2 REFS
1838 CE · Withdrawal from the federation 2 REFS
1502 - 1821 · The Rich Coast: A Poor Colony
2 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1502 CE · Columbus reaches the Rich Coast 1 REF
1563 CE · Founding of Cartago 2 REFS
c. 7000 BCE - 1500 CE · Chiefdoms and the Stone Spheres
2 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
c. 500-1500 CE · Diquis chiefdoms and the stone spheres 2 REFS
2014 CE · UNESCO World Heritage inscription 1 REF
Read the chronicle
EVERY ERA, EVENT AND REFERENCE ON ONE PAGE
↓
Quick facts · atlas reference
- Capital
- San José
- Population
- 4.9 m
- Area
- 51,100 km²
- Region
- Central America
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Costa Rican colón (₡)
- Demonym
- Costa Rican
- UN member
- Yes
Dossier · press a specimen — it turns over
Specimen bench
PRESS A SPECIMEN — IT TURNS OVER
Economy
GDP
$103 B’25 WB-WDI
GDP per capita
$19,970’25 WB-WDI
GDP growth
4.6%’25 WB-WDI
Inflation
-0.1%’25 WB-WDI
Trade openness
71.5%’25 WB-WDI
Society
Population
5.2 m’25 WB-WDI
Life expectancy
81.0 yrs’24 WB-WDI
Urban population
79.7%’25 WB-WDI
Fertility rate
1.3’24 WB-WDI
Literacy rate
97.4%’11 WB-WDI
Governance
Voice & accountability
74.6’24 WB-WGI
Political stability
86.0’24 WB-WGI
Government effectiveness
56.9’24 WB-WGI
Regulatory quality
64.0’24 WB-WGI
Rule of law
67.6’24 WB-WGI
Control of corruption
61.6’24 WB-WGI
Health
Health spending
6.9%’23 WB-WHO
Physicians
2.69’22 WB-WHO
Under-5 mortality
10.4’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Measles immunisation
93.0%’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Safe drinking water
80.5%’24 WB-WHO
Education
Adult literacy
97.4%’11 WB-UNESCO
Education spending
5.3%’23 WB-UNESCO
Primary enrolment
104.8%’24 WB-UNESCO
Secondary enrolment
121.8%’24 WB-UNESCO
Tertiary enrolment
55.0%’19 WB-UNESCO
Technology
R&D spending
0.3%’23 WB-UNESCO
Researchers (per million)
508’23 WB-UNESCO
Internet users
87.2%’24 WB-ITU
Mobile subscriptions
136’24 WB-ITU
High-tech exports
22.9%’24 WB-WDI
Geography
Land area
51,060 km²’23 WB-WDI
Forest area
60.4%’23 WB-WDI
Agricultural land
33.1%’23 WB-WDI
CO₂ per capita (t)
1.6’24 WB-WDI
Renewable energy
34.2%’21 WB-WDI
Resources
Resource rents
0.8%’21 WB-WDI
Oil rents
0.0%’21 WB-WDI
Mineral rents
0.0%’21 WB-WDI
Forest rents
0.8%’21 WB-WDI
Electricity access
99.8%’24 WB-WDI
Military
Defense spending
$0’24 WB-SIPRI
Armed forces
10,000’20 WB-SIPRI
A hatched gap has no underside — there is nothing to turn over. Absence is stated, never zeroed.
The record · what changed here
- GDP — 2025 observation published ($103 B), superseding 2024 ($95 B) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- GDP per capita — 2025 observation published ($19,970), superseding 2024 ($18,587) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- GDP growth — 2025 observation published (4.6%), superseding 2024 (4.3%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Inflation — 2025 observation published (-0.1%), superseding 2024 (-0.4%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Trade openness — 2025 observation published (71.5%), superseding 2024 (71.3%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Electricity access — 2024 observation published (99.8%), superseding 2023 (100.0%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Population — 2025 observation published (5.2 m), superseding 2024 (5.1 m) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Urban population — 2025 observation published (79.7%), superseding 2024 (79.3%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14