Costa Rica


Figure 1.--This was a portrait used to make a post card for tourists. It was sent home to the United States in 1912. It was entitled "market boy".

Costa Rica is a small Central Americn country, spanning the Istmus between Panama and Nicaragua. The climate is sub-tropical moderated by the elvations that exist in lrge areas of the country. We do not yet have much information on Costa Rica. We have begun a basic history of the country which was the first Central American country to achieve a modicum of stability. In this, Costa Rica is different than much of Centra America. And the ethnic balamce is also different. The population is largely of European origins. The indigenous (Native American) and Black population is relatively small. The economy as in other Central American countries has been based on agricultural commodities. Coffee is especially important. Since World War II, tourism has become increasingly important along with foreign retirees. Here stability is an important factor. Costa Rica is both a democratic and peaceful country. It has not even had an army since 1949. The country's biodiversity has attracted increasing interest in recent years. Despite the fact that the coutryb is small, covering a miniscule part of the earth's surfce area, it is the habitat for an estimated 6 percent of the world's biodiversity. We have only limited information on boys' activities at this time. An important activity is religion. Most Costa Ricans are Catholic and the Catholic Church has played an important roile in Costa Rican society. As far as we can tell, clothing in Costa Rica was very similar to that of the other Central American countries during the Spanish colonia era and the early independence period. Here the relatively small Native American population was a factor. Major changes began to occur after World War II when American boys' wear began to be the dominant styles worn. This is today the general pattern throughout Central America and Mexico.

Geography

Costa Rica is a small Central Americn country, spanning the Istmus between Panama and Nicaragua. The climate is sub-tropical moderated by the elvations that exist in large areas of the country. Over a quarter of the cojuntry is composed of conservation and natural protected territory. The country's biodiversity has attracted increasing interest in recent years. Despite the fact that the country is small, covering a miniscule part of the earth's surfce area, it is the habitat for an estimated 6 percent of the world's biodiversity. Costa Rica has the largest unhabited island in the world. The Cocos Island, with a surface of approximately 23.85 km.

History

Costa Rica is both a democratic and peaceful country--a rare island of stbility in the turbulent modern history of Central America. Costa Rica was at the time Columbus reached it inhabited by several different Native American with a population of about 0.4 million people. He sailed along the coast on his fourth and last voyage (1502). The Spanish conquest began two decaded later (1524). Settlement proceeded slowly. The country was a backwater in the Soanish Empire. Costa Rica achieved its independence at the same time as Mexico (1821). Some Costa Ricans wanted to join Mexico and for ahort time Costa Rica united with its larger neighbor to the north. Agustín de Iturbide who achieved independence for Mexico attempted to turn it into a monarchy. Costa Rica established an independent republic (1848) and has remained so except for a military dictatorship established by Tomás Guardia (1870-82). Somewhat apart from the general Latin American pattern, the Guardia period was one of progressive reform. The country gradually developed one of the most democratic traditions in Latin America. This was confirmed after a brief civil war after World War II (1948). Óscar Arias Sánchez became president (1986) and played an important role in ending the Nicaraguan and Salvadoran Civil Wars. osta Rica has not even had an army since 1949.

Economy

The pre-Colombia economy was primarily hunter gathering by primitive Native American tribes. The modern territory of Costa Rica was beyond the extent of the Maya to the north. There are no important Mayan sites in Costa Rica. There mut have been, however, trade connections. The name Costa Rica means 'rich coast' in Spanush. However most of the country's population don't live near the coast. The coast of Central America was theColumbus' first land fall on the mainland of the Americas. The name was based on the Spanish seeing gold jewerly being worn by the the natives they spotted along the coast. Costa Rica was the first Central American country to achieve a modicum of stability. In this, Costa Rica is different than much of Centra America which has been relected in the economy. The economy as in other Central American countries has been based on agricultural commodities. Coffee is especially important. Since World War II, tourism has become increasingly important along with foreign retirees. Here stability is an important factor. Unlike many other Latin American countries, Costa Rica does not have importnt natural resources like oil or metals. Tourism has become an importnt part of the country's economy. Among the activities that tourists enjoy is whale watching. They are also attracted by the country's biodiversity, in part because of the large protected areas. Costa Rica is a very small country. It has just about 0.1 percent of the world's total area, but 5 percent of the biodiversity. Costa Rica is an imprtnt exporter of agricultural products, especially bananas and coffee. Despite the country's small area, it accounts for 10 percent of the total exports of banana worldwide. That is the second place just behind Ecuador, another small country. Costa Rica is also the biggest producer of pinapple worldwide. Costa Rica is developing a mixed economy. It is one of the world's biggest producer of medical equipment, specially body prothesis. Several companies of the industry like St Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, among others manufacture their products here which are then exported to the rest of the world. Since the Great Recession 2010, Costa Rica has impressiveif not spectacular economic growth, 3.8 percent (2017). The masjor exports are still bananas, coffee, sugar, and beef. Exports of industrial and processed agricultural products are diversifying export shipments to include value-added goods. A bright spot is medical devices. Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity also makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors are attracted by the country's political stability and high educational levelscompasredto other couintries in the rergion. The Government has offered incentives in free-trade zones. Investors face, however, many of the same issues concerning the political culure of the region which prevent Latin American countries from relicastion the success of the Asiazn tigers, opnrr some of the same problemns: inadeqwuate infrastructure, high energy costs, a complicasted and unfriendly beauracracy, weak investor protection, and weak contract enforcement. Therte is also rising fiscal deficit, rising public debt, and relatively low levels of domestic revenue.

Ethnicity

The ethnic make up of Costa Ricais also different than the rest of Central America. The population is largely of European origins. The indigenous (Native American) and Black population is relatively small. The great bulk of the population is mestizo or white (European), something like 85 percent of the population. Mestizo has, however, a somewhat different meaning in Costa Rica than in the rest of Latin America. Costa Ricans tend to have a conept of mestizo almost entirely focused on European ancestry. In many other Latin American countries today, other countries embrace their indigenous heritage to some extent, although this vasries. In Costa Rica it is more symbolic. Wedo not fully understand this, but it probasbly relastes to the fact Costa Rica was not part of a major advasnced indigenous civilization. We believe that the mestizo population is more dominatly European than many other Lastin American countries, although we do not yet have DNA study data. The African and mulatto population is mostly found along the Caribbeasn coast, perhaps 10 percent of the population. There are indigenous peoples (about2 percent) and small numbers of Chinese and other groups.

Activities

We have only limited information on boys' activities at this time. An important activity is religion. Most Costa Ricans are Catholic and the Catholic Church has played an important role in Costa Rican society.

Chronology

As far as we can tell, clothing in Costa Rica was very similar to that of the other Central American countries during the Spanish colonia era and the early independence period. Here the relatively small Native American population was a factor. Thewell to do dressed like Europeans. The rest ofthepopulation dressed in peasant styles with depending on their income a fewEutopean items. Boys tended to wear a simple shirt and knee pants and go barefooted. In San Jose wesee them wearing European styles, in the country side the white compesino garments weremore common. Major changes began to occur after World War II when American boys' wear began to be the dominant styles worn. This is today the general pattern throughout Central America and Mexico.







HBC






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Created: 3:37 AM 8/27/2008
Last updated: 11:14 PM 2/8/2019