Stable Government

Costa Rica is a democratic republic with three branches of government and has enjoyed one of the most democratic governments in Latin America. As of 1948, Costa Rica abolished it’s army and since 1949 has enjoyed its peaceful democratic existence, often being referred to as the “Switzerland of Central America”.

The government is one of the people and one that very much sees the value of tourism. Over the past few years the government has incentivized foreigners to come and retire in Costa Rica. Stable government ensures that the money you put into your property is safe. Political turmoil will never be a reason for illiquidity in your Costa Rican investment and also provides reason why Costa Rica is a great place to buy. There are many other locations around the world that investors think of to go and buy, but stability is very important and should play a huge factor in anyone’s investment decisions.

Excellent Lending market

Prior to 2006, there was no market for lending in Costa Rica and investors bought and sold property on a cash basis. With the recent surge by worldwide and US lenders as well as the strengthening of the Costa Rican market, financing at reasonable rates is now an available option. This addition to the real estate industry has made it possible for many more investors to buy property in Costa Rica and will only increase the demand over time.

As you can see there are many great reasons to invest in Costa Rica. Many people believe that it is too late to make any money. This is not the case! The time is now to invest in this beautiful country and incredible vacation spot.

How can I finance my property in Costa Rica?

There are two options available for financing home construction.

The first option is for the homebuyer to secure secondary financing (line of credit, second trust note) in their home country. This money, once deposited into escrow, will be held by Title Insurance by LandAmerica Commonwealth Title Of Central America® and will be released in accordance with a pre-defined fund release procedure.

The second option is for the buyer to secure completed home (or take out) financing . This option requires approval in advance by the builder and would require deposits to be made to the escrow account by the buyer during the construction of the home. At the opening of escrow, application is made by the buyer to secure financing against the home once the house is complete. At home completion, the balance owed the developer would be paid and the buyer ends up with a mortgage in Costa Rica for the house.

Banks & Money

There is an ample selection of state owned and privately held banks in San Jose, and throughout the country. The official currency of Costa Rica is the colon; however US dollars are widely accepted. US dollars and traveler's checks can be changed in banks and hotels. Most major credit cards are widely accepted, and cash advances can be obtained at banks around the country and a variety of places throughout San Jose.

Economy

You don't have to drive very far in Costa Rica -- past the coffee, pastures, bananas, and other crops -- to realize that agriculture is the basis of its economy. Coffee has historically been the country's most important crop, and Costa Rica continues to produce some of the finest coffee in the world. However in recent years less traditional crops have been playing an increasingly important economic role. Bananas are the second most important export crop, with vast plantations covering parts of the Caribbean lowlands. There is also significant land dedicated to the cultivation of pineapples, sugar, oranges, rice, hardwoods, and ornamental plants, as well as raising cattle for beef and dairy products.

Though agriculture remains the basis of the national economy, tourism has earned more than any single export crop during the last few years and the tourism industry continues to grow providing new employment opportunities and stimulating the conservation of our complex biodiversity.

Museums in Costa Rica

Costa Rica museums have inherited a rich and diverse cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, whose purpose is to display and educate present and future generations about our past and present.

The most notable collections include gold, jade, pre-Colombian ceramics and stone pieces, colonial religious art, contemporary art, and natural history.

Costa Rica possesses an important group of museums dedicated to collecting, preserving, and displaying the cultural heritage, and imparting our values. They are located throughout the country and uphold the legacy, which reflects the contributions of the indigenous, Afro-Costa Rican, Asian, European, and Central American populations.

The museums go beyond just collecting, by categorizing and searching for meaning of the past and the present in a didactic way. This allows Costa Ricans to face the future with a sense of identity, community, importance and a complete concept of sustainable human development. In addition, it gives foreign visitors a first-hand look at the towns of yesterday and today that make up our country.

At the end of the last century, a movement arose among some towns to have their own museums. This number of towns has increased.

These are known as community museums and reflect the will of the communities to recover, preserve, share, and communicate the importance of their cultural aspects, whether they be traditions, customs, or local folklore.

These museums have arisen in small towns with a large cultural mix and a rich history and that have shown their commitment to recovery, revitalization and sharing of their traditions, as well as the improvement in the quality of life of its inhabitants.

The most notable community museums are the Abangares Mines museum, the Indigenous Boruca museum, and the Chortega Ceramics museum in San Vicente, Nicoya. These museums are educational, respresentative, and integrating tools within the community, with the goal that the cultural and natural heritage of the local area be respected, valued, and admired as a product of social history to be shared with visitors.

Holidays

Though government offices and most banks close on national holidays, this causes little inconvenience to travelers, since money and traveler's checks can be changed at most hotels. We recommend that you do not change money on the street. There are days when hardly anything will be open, such as Christmas, New Year, and often a couple of days proceeding, and during Holy Week from Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Some holidays can be attractive for travelers, such as the last week of the year, when there are parades and many other activities in San Jose and throughout the country. On July 25 every year (the annexation of the province of Guanacaste), the main towns in this northwest province are overflowing with revelry and folklore. Carnival, which is celebrated in the Caribbean port of Limon during the week of October 12, is another colorful affair.

Business Hours

Government offices are generally open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, while banks close anytime between 3:00 and 6:00 pm, according to the bank and its branch. Most shops are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, while some open at 8:00 am and others close at 7:00 pm; most grocery stores close at 8:00 pm. Some shops also close for lunch, between noon and 1:00 or 2:00 pm.

Education

Costa Rica is praised because of its efforts for investment in public education that different governments have accomplished throughout the years. There are close to 6,147 elementary, middle, and high schools and more than 50 universities in the country.

The first higher education institution to be established was the University of Costa Rica, which was the only higher educational center up until the year 1971, when the Technological Institute of Costa Rica was founded.

In 1973, the National University of Heredia (UNA) was founded, also the Distance Education University (UNED) was established in 1977, and in the year 1979, the first private institution known as the Autonomous University of Central America (UACA) was created which set the example in 1986 for a large number of other private universities to open their doors in Costa Rica.

Medical Services

Despite its size and being an under developed country, Costa Rica has positioned itself among the countries with the highest public healthcare development in Latin America.

The Costa Rican Social Security Service (CCSS) is a public service institution that has accomplished important goals regarding health issues, including pensions and social security. This institution offers coverage and integrated health services through two types of insurance:

General coverage insurance, with a service that covers 100% of the country.

Contribution coverage insurance, with an 86.80% of the population.

Costa Rica is the country in Latin America with the highest life expectancy rate at 77.75 years old; it is also one of the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate: 10.82%. It is also far advanced in issues regarding prenatal prevention and control.

Government

The political system is represented by three powers, which are: The Executive Power, the Legislative Power and the Judicial Power. The Elections Supreme Court is considered the fourth power of the Republic. Every four years national elections are carried out. Among other positions of popular representation, the President of the Republic is elected through direct representation by secret ballot.

CAPITAL CITY: San José

ÁREA: 51,100 km2 (19,730 millas2)

Airports

The main airport is the Juan Santamaria International Airport, located in Alajuela. This airport is only twenty minutes away from San José. Other important airports are : The Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport, located in Liberia, Guanacaste. The Tobias Bolaños Airport located in Pavas, San José, for local as well as international flights. There are also landing fields for local flights situated in different parts of the country such as: Limon, Tortuguero, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Samara, Tambor, Quepos, Palmar North, Golfito, and San Vito.

Transportation

It’s easy to get around Costa Rica, and if you stick with public transportation, traveling within the country can be quite inexpensive. There are bus services to just about every town and city, and high-quality buses serving the main tourist destinations. Taxis are also plentiful and inexpensive, and in San Jose they are required to operate with meters for most trips.

The standard charge for a taxi ride between the international airport and downtown San Jose is $10 US. The quickest way to get around is to fly and several domestic airlines offer daily flights to most of the popular tourist destinations. There are also plenty of car rental agencies, most of which rent four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Communication

Costa Rica has one of the most advanced telecommunications systems in Latin America, with telephones and fax machines all over the country, and an increasing number of businesses online. To call or fax Costa Rica, dial the country code 506 before the number. There is also mail service and a wide selection of courier services in San Jose.

Most large hotels in the San Jose area have cable TV, with US and European stations. Newspapers and magazines from North America and several European nations are sold in many shops and hotels in and around the capital.

Our People

Costa Rica's richness also lies on the cultural diversity of our people.
Throughout our history, the indigenous population of pre-Hispanic origins have been added movements of immigrants which settled in these lands, making it their home. Populations of European origin, mainly Spaniards, persons of African and Asian ascendance, as well as people from different places of the American continent have interacted among them, enriching the cultural background in the process.

Currently, besides the predominant half-breed component, there are ethnical-nation groups and colonies of immigrants recovering their particular cultural heritage: African descendants, Chinese, Hebrew, Lebanese, Italian, etc.; as well as the indigenous populations of the Bribri, Cabecar, Maleku, Teribe, Boruca, Ngöbe, Huetar, and Chorotega.

Climate

In general, the climate in Costa Rica is very pleasant not only during the dry season, which extends from December to April but also during the rainy season, which runs from May to November. During the rainy season rain can be expected in the afternoons, on the other hand the mornings are usually sunny.

Costa Rica has tropical climate with an average temperature of 22 degrees C (72 degrees F) that increases considerably on the coastal areas. The changes in temperature are considerably and due to the short distances in this relatively small country, they can all be experienced in just one day.

Due to factors such as the geographical location, the weather conditions, the formations of mountain chains, mountains and valleys, this country experiences different climates that give a home to different types of vegetation.

The following climates in the country can be categorized in the following regions:

• The high and cold region: with an elevation of 3,000 to 3,100 meters in altitude with temperatures of 0 degrees C.

• The hot region: the elevation is above 1,500 meters in altitude with temperatures between 14 degrees C and 18 degrees C.
  

• The humid tropical region: the elevation is up to 1,100 meters in altitude with temperatures between 25 and 26 degrees C.

• The Tropical region: pertaining to the dry season, with temperatures between 26 and 27 degrees C.

• The inter mountainous valley region with an elevation between 1,000 and 1,100 meters in altitude which is a characteristic of the central valley with temperatures that range from 14 to 18 degrees C.

Due to the weather characteristics and the topography of the country, different types of forest can be appreciated: the cloud forest, the rain forest, the dry forest, and the transition forest.

Geography

Rugged highlands are found throughout most of the country, ranging from approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level).

The Guanacaste Mountain Range, Central Mountain Range, and Talamanca Mountain Range are the main mountain ranges extending the entire length of the country.

There are several active volcanoes (Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and Turrialba Volcano) and the country's highest mountain (Chirripo Hill) with a height of 3,819 m/12,530 ft.

The country has a relatively long coastline in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as a number of rivers and streams that attract specialist kayakers and rafters from all over world.

History

Heritage and Culture

Costa Rican culture is in many ways a reflection of its racial diversity. The predominant influence has long been European, which is reflected in everything from the official language -Spanish- to the architecture of the country's churches and other historic buildings. The indigenous influence is less visible, but can be found in everything from the tortillas that make part of a typical Costa Rican meal, to the handmade sold at roadside stands.

An important aspect of Costa Rica's Cultural legacy is their love for peace and democracy. The Ticos like to stands out that their nations is the exception in Latin America, where military dictatorships have long dominated politics.

They take pride in having more than one hundred years of democratic tradition, and almost half a century without an army. The army was abolished in 1948, and the money the country saves by not expanding in military issues is invested in improving the Costa Ricans' standard of living, which has fostered a culture of social peace that makes it such a pleasant place to visit.




The Ticos

The Ticos, as Costa Ricans are commonly known, are famous for their hospitality, and are quite happy to live up to their reputation. They are well-educated and hard working people, who are quick with a handshake and a smile. They are well aware of the special land they have, and most likely they will help foreigners when they get lost,even explaining things that might seem bizarre to foreigners, and making their stay as enjoyable as possible.

People say the Ticos are their nation's greatest asset, and once you've experienced their friendliness and spontaneity, you'll have no doubt to that regard.

Source: I.C.T

Costa Rica Surpasses World Average in Tourism Growth

Presently, Costa Rica surpassed three times the world average in tourism growth, according to a June index released by the World Tourism Organization (WTO)

The index' s data says the largest growth in tourism was in regions like the Middle East, Central and South America. Meanwhile, China, Japan, the United States, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru, stood out for showing double digit growth.

The WTO index says that international activity saw growth of 5% in the first four months of the year and one additional percentage point more than forecasted at the beginning of 2008.

According to the WTO, behavior of the summer season that just started in the Northern hemisphere will be key to end-of-the-year results.

The Tourism Minister, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, said that he is pleased that Costa Rica has held pace within the most dynamic growing group of countries with respect to the arrival of tourists.

Source: I.C.T, July 16, 2008

Costa Rica is a Paradise according to National Geographic

The tropical jungles, rivers, and country's beautiful white beaches were reason enough for the National Geographic Channel to rate Costa Rica as the closest thing to heaven on earth.

According to the National Geographic channel, the country stands out from the rest of the world because of its huge diversity of life forms that find refuge in this small section of Costa Rica.

Because of the beautiful diversity of wildlife like crocodiles, quetzals, and species of monkeys, a television program will be taped and aired on National Geographic on June 25th.

The program will reveal the seven wonders of Latin America, one of the regions with the largest diversity.

Costa Rica, referred to by National Geographic as "T he Living Earth", stands out among other countries for its bountiful vegetation and variety of forests.

The television program also highlights Costa Rica as a place where one can witness the large number of recently born sea turtles emerge from the sand and scurry toward the ocean.

Source: I.C.T, july 11,2008

Country Famous for Whale Watching

The non-lethal use of whales for tourism is a growing activity throughout the countries in Central America, and particularly Costa Rica.

The activity, know as whale watching has grown 74% in the last 10 years, a considerable increase if you compare it with that of other countries like Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, where tourism of this type grew between 15% and 19%.

This activity directly benefits 91 communities from 18 countries and has quadrupled its potential at a regional level in the last 15 years, generating around $280 million just in Latin America, according to data from the International fund for Animal Welfare, Global Ocean, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

There are eight main communities that benefit from whale watching on the Pacific coast and one on the Atlantic coast in Costa Rica. There are some 52 whale watching operators in these areas at these locations that, in 2007, took in around 100,000 tourists, with the majority (85%) being foreigners.

The Humpback whale is the most widely viewed cetacean on the Costa Rican coasts because it is very migratory. It spends the summer in the cold waters at high latitudes and reproduces in tropical or subtropical climates. This species has been protected since 1967. Today there are less than 10,000 of this species worldwide.

Source: I.C.T. 16 july, 2008

In love with Costa Rica

Jay Dickman, a United States photographer from the prestigious National Geographic and Pulitzer Prize winner in 1983, was recently in Costa Rica on a photo shoot with 12 students from the Tropico Humedo School (EARTH), in Guacimo, and six young people from Limon.

After asking him about what he thought of the country, he replied, "I love Costa Rica".

"I've been here five or six times, the first being in 1994 or 1995. I brought my family here about nine years ago".

Dickman started taking photos in high school and his first assignment for National Geographic, a magazine he has loved since he was young, was in 1979. He is 59 years old, has four children, and lives in Colorado, in the U.S.

Source: I.C.T , August 18, 2008

Liberia airport to receive 530,000 tourists in 2010

More than 530,000 tourists will pass through the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste in 2010, according to projections made by the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism (CATURGA), based on statistics gathered from the General Civil Aviation Administration records .

The arrival of tourists through this airport has maintened consistent growth since 2001.
From 2001 to 2007 the number of tourists rose 574% going from 70,615 to 405,450.

For the 2008 season, according to estimates from CATURGA, growth will be around 9.5% compared to 2007, which means an increase in some 38,509 tourists.

As for the outlook for 2009 and 2010, the board projects an annual growth of 10%, totaling more than half million topurists that will come through Daniel Oduber Airport as a gateway to the country.

Source: I.C.T

The Good News: Costa Rica Guards Its Forests

When a fungal disease began ravaging Levi Bryant's four-hectare cacao farm a decade ago, the landowner could have done what other besieged farmers have done. He might easily have picked up an ax and begun cutting down more tropical rain forest around his land on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast.
He could have sold the timber from the tall laurel trees that shade the cacao bushes, then burned the dense virgin forest on the hill behind his farm. Then Bryant, like so many financially strapped small farmers in Latin America, could have sown pasture and sold the land to cattle rancher. Within three or four years, one more small piece of the tropics would have vanished.

That Bryant did not rush headlong down this slippery ecological slope is in part testimony to Costa Rica's commitment to its dwindling natural resources. The country has more than 20 national parks, wildlife preserves and other protected areas covering 2,577 sq. mi, or 13% of the land. Moreover, the nation's stable democracy has attracted hundreds of scientists and ecologists, making Costa Rica a laboratory for finding out what is possible in terms of sustainable development in the tropics.

One of the major reasons Bryant's plantation is not a fast-eroding cow pasture is that he got help from an environmental group called Anai (which means "friend" in the language of the local Bribri Indians). "We probably wouldn't still be farming if it wasn't for these guys," admits Bryant. Anai provided him with new kinds of crops, including vanilla plants and a different variety of cacao tree, which is less likely to die from fungus. Over the past five years, Anai has brought dozens of new varieties of cash crops to more than 20 communities in the Talamanca region, set up plant nurseries serving 1,500 people, and helped establish a 10,000-hectare wildlife refuge.

The encroachment of cow pastures on the cloud forest at Monteverde spurred another of Costa Rica's efforts to save its natural heritage. In 1972, 350 hectares of land owned by American Quakers who had settled the region in the 1950s were set aside as a private reserve. Over the years that has grown to 10,500 hectares. One key to preserving this huge area was to allow local people to develop a tourist business. In five years the annual number of visitors has gone from 6,000 to 15,000, and could climb to more than 30,000 when a new road up from the plain is built.
That success shows that forests can produce income without being destroyed.

Lake Arenal

The majestic Lake Arenal near the famous Arenal Volcano is the largest in Costa Rica. We offer many activities all year round on and around it: windsurfing, fishing, boat tours, boat shortcut to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, kayaking, horseback riding & mountain biking along the shore, etc.

Lake Arenal was enlarged to 3 times it's original size to form a basin for the hydroelectric project that now produces 70% of Costa Rica's electricity with an area of 85.5km (33 sq. miles). Surrounded by rolling hills that are partly pastured and partly forested and dominated on the east side by the imposing perfect cone of Volcan Arenal.

The lake's other claim to fame is its rainbow bass sport fishing. These fighting fish are called by locals guapote and are large members of the cichlid family. Their sharp teeth and fighting nature make them a real challenge. Their meat is white & tasty. The best time to catch them is at sunrise or sunset and that's when our fishing trip begin with a pickup at your hotel at 5h30 am or 2h pm.

Lake Arenal with it's unique combination of warm fresh water, steady and strong winds and spectacular scenery now enjoys a world class reputation amongst windsurfers and sailboarders.

Costa Rica - The right place, the right time.

The ICT (Tourism ministry) has reported a 12 percent increase in visitors from January 2007 to January 2008! Costa Rica's economy is booming due to a combination of beneficial factors. The country has seen a wealth of direct foreign investment from many international corporations coupled with an ever growing tourism industry.

Who has already invested in Costa Rica? Intel, HP, Microsoft, Lucent, Xerox, Procter & Gamble, Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, Barcelo... Well funded international corporations continue to expand and create high paying jobs by adding infrastructure to the surrounding area, resulting in a priceless work of art.

Costa Rica has everything that a sophisticated, international investor needs in a global financial center. It's a beautiful, stable and peaceful country with good privacy laws and hard working, qualified professionals who will ensure that your assets are protected. Many multinational companies have invested in Costa Rica; such as Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, INTEL, Lucent and Bristol Myers, Abbott Labs, Chiquita, Esso, Texaco, 3M, UPS, DHL, Gillette, Xerox, Glaxo Smith Kline, Johnson & Johnson, SC Johnson, Sherwin Williams, Sony Music, Pfizer, Kimberly Clark, Manpower, Dole Fresh Fruit, Colgate Palmolive, LL Bean, BASF, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, 3-Com, Motorola, Oracle, Perkins Elmer, Western Union, Unisys & Cisco.

Additional benefits of doing business in Costa Rica:

* Legal guarantees, predictability and economic freedom * Preferential access to important markets * Attractive tax & investment incentives * Existing investment is fueling infrastructure growth * Favorable government attitude towards foreign investment, free enterprise and free trade * Excellent living standards and medical care To understand this boom all you have to do is come and experience Costa Rica's pleasant year round climate, see its beautiful lush green mountains and enjoy one of its many pristine beaches. This business environment is creating many opportunities in the real estate market. JP Wilson Developments is strategically located to take advantage of Costa Rica's booming economy.