Basic CR Details

I thought some of you might be interested in knowing a bit about Whitworth South and the applicable facts and interesting details about where we're at:

*  Costa Rica is one hour ahead of West Coast (Whitworth) time, and two during “Fall Back” daylight savings time, U.S.

*  Our Whitworth Costa Rica Center campus is located just a few miles off the Continental Divide of Costa Rica

*  The campus – and all the surrounding mountains – are part of a larger cloud rainforest system, at an elevation higher than Denver (we’re located around 6,000 feet)

*  CR is about the geographical size, or land area, of the state of West Virginia

*  As of January, exchange rate of the CR colón : US dollar is around 510 c. to $1

*  Costa Ricans refer to themselves as Ticos or Ticas (also, more formally known as costarricenses)

*  Plato Típico de Costa Rica (called ‘casado’) usually includes: platanos maduros (a type of prepared banana), gallo pinto (rice and beans), and salad of tomatoes and lettuce, salted and with lime.

*  Weather/Seasons: winter (or the rainy season) is from May to November/December; summer (or the dry season) is January to April (depending on location and elevation)

*  Population of the country: 4,253,877 (July 2010 est.)

o   Urban population: 63% of total population (2008)

o   16% (2006 est.) – population living below poverty line

*  Language: they don’t generally use the “tu” form here – usted and vos are more common

*  Political state:

o   President Laura Chincilla Miranda (since 8 May 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

o   There are 7 provinces (provincias); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose. We are located in the Heredia provice

o   Army was abolished in 1949 CR is a pacifist country without a military

* Agricultural products: bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, beef, poultry, dairy, timber