Costa Rica History

Discovery of Costa Rica | 1502 a.c.

In 1502, on his fourth and last voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus arrived to what it is today known as Limón in the Caribbean coast. Optimistic Spaniards called the native land Costa Rica (Rich Coast). At first, they found an indigenous region resistant to Spanish exploitation, and conquerors were not interested in the area and settle much later than in most of the rest of Central American territories. In 1561 Juan de Cavallón commanded the first settlers into Costa Rica, and from 1562 to 1565 some of them founded the settlement of Cartago and other villages in the central valley, where most of the population is still concentrated.

Being part of the General Captaincy of Guatemala from 1570 forward, Costa Rica was basically a dependent territory of Nicaragua during its colonial period. Such situation of isolation from Guatemala City together with its lack of wealth, led to an autonomous and individualistic development without direct control from Spain. Costa Ricans turned to live from agriculture until late 18th century, when Spanish emphasis on commercial agriculture gave Costa Rica the chance to have some importance to Guatemalan authorities when the country started growing tobacco as an export product.

Independence and Development | sovereign nation

In 1821, Costa Rica and the rest of the Central American provinces freed themselves from Spain, but the country became part of Mexico until 1823, and later, from 1824 to 1838 it was part of the Central American Federation. In that year, Costa Rica formally withdrew and proclaimed itself a sovereign nation.

A few years after, under the leadership of Juan Rafael Mora Porras (1849-1859), Costa Rica organized the Central American Resistance against William Walker, the U.S. buccaneer who gained control over Nicaragua in 1855. Fortunately, Walker could not take over Costa Rica and the government continued with the idea to improve the nation's situation, so Costa Rica became committed to heavy foreign investment to develop the needed infraestructure as soon as possible.

Also during this period of history, Costa Rica made a turn into coffee growing, but the country was insufficiently settled, and the government offered land to anyone who would like to grow coffee plants. People from Europe came to Costa Rica attracted by this opportunity to posses land, and in that way there were hundreds of small plantations ready to produce coffee to export.

Another product that made a change in Costa Rica's early economic life was banana. The United Fruit Company was established at the end of the 19th century by the U.S. businessman Minor Keith. This company developed on the lowland coasts and built railroads and stablished a solid market position

Democratic Country | democratic tradition

The modern democracy in Costa Rica started in 1889. The elections this year are considered the first genuinely free and honest ones in the country’s history, and over the years this tradition has been maintained except for a few lapses.

During most part of last century coffee became the main support of the economy, and farming families were traditionally part of the political control of the country. However, there was a raise of new ideals and new parties appeared in the political field. In 1936 and in 1940 the reformist National Republican Party (Partido Republicano Nacional, or PRN) got the presidency with León Cortes Castro and with Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia respectively.

But during 1948, when the government decided not to accept the results of an election and continued ruling the country using the army to hold on to power as an attempt to extinguish all democratic institutions, José Figueres Ferrer, a person with special charisma, took the lead against this illegal decision. As a result of this successful rebellion, the government accepted to decline power and as a pioneering move the army was abolished, now using the money previously intended to the military to offer better education and social services to Costa Ricans. A new political force appeared, the National Liberation Party (Partido de Liberación Nacional, or PLN) and Figueres ruled the country during the following period, then in 1952, and again in 1970. Since the revolution in 1948, Costa Rica became the most democratic country in Latin America and basically two parties have led the country. In 1974, the PLN won the presidency with Daniel Oduber, but dissimilarities between him and Figueres, brought an opposition union with Rodrigo Carazo Odio as its leader to reach the government in 1978. The PLN came back to power in 1982, with Luis Alberto Monge Alvarez and later with Oscar Arias Sánchez in 1986. Rafael A. Calderón Fournier, son of former president Rafael Calderón Guardia, won the election of February 1990, running as the candidate of the Social Christian Unity Party (Partido Unidad Social Cristiana, or PUSC). In 1994 José María Figueres Olsen, son of former president José Figueres Ferrer, was elected president. In 1998 Miguel Angel Rodríguez of the Social Christian Unity Party defeated José Miguel Corrales of the PLN. Finally, in 2002 Abel Pacheco de la Espriella from the ruling PUSC became president of Costa Rica. Former President Oscar Arias Sánchez won the 2006 elections becoming the first reelected presindent y more than 4 decades.

Election day | an example for many other countries

Every four years there is a festivity in Costa Rica: Election Day is celebrated on February and this is an event in which all Costa Ricans take part in a peaceful environment. In the political campaign previous to the election, candidates present their ideas and plans to the citizens, and little by little the population starts taking part of the festivity, waving their party’s flags or decorating their houses and cars with the colors of their chosen party.

On Election Day, all businesses are closed, and those who have to work have a permit to go and vote. Every citizen above 18 years old have the duty to vote. As a remarkable characteristic the vote is individual and secret, and there are many options for the voters to elect their favorite candidate and the person who they consider represents the best ideals.

As a summary, we can say that Costa Rica is an example for many other countries not only in the region, but also in the whole world. Its democracy shows not only the fact that it is peaceful nation, also indicates that Costa Ricans have been wise when making important decisions such as investing in basic schooling to become one well developed country. Education has been a major goal for the governments, and as a result the country has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America. Money that in other countries is directed to financing the arm forces, is here used to improve infrastructure, culture, education and health.