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Costa Rica is appropriate 450 km in north west south east direction between
the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific Coast on the Central American land bridge between Nicaragua and Panama. A mountain chain
separates the Atlantic-Caribbean Coast from the Pacific Ocean with
some elevations exceeding 10,000 ft (3000 m). There are numerous are partially still active
volcanoes. Primary and secondary rain forests cover the slopes to the hot coastal regions at the Pacific to the
Caribbean.
With a surface area of 51'000 km2 Costa Rica is only
a little larger than the country of Switzerland or the State of West
Virginia. There is an extraordinary variety of Flora and Fauna.
There are over 35 national parks and protected areas, which constitute
about 25% of the territory, over 12'000 over 800 bird as well as over 380 amphibians
and reptiles can be found. There are an amazing 1200 plus different
Orchids, and 10% of all kinds of butterfly of this world live in Costa Rica.
 Climate
In Costa Rica there are no seasons in the European sense; one
differentiates only between rain and dry seasons. On the Pacific
side the dry season lasts from December to May. In the months from May until November
the mornings are usually sunny and in the later afternoon will
thunderstorm and down pour rains.
On the Atlantic side and in the
rain forests there is precipitation during the entire year. The driest
months are from February until April and September.
In the region
of San José the entire year has pleasant spring like temperatures from 20 to 25° C prevail
during the day and the nights can become cool.
Voltage
In the whole country 110 Volts
60 Hertz; international adapter (flat pin) plugs same as USA and
Canada.
Time Zone
The time difference to Central Europe is 7 hours; during
the European summer time 8 hours. For North Americans it is
Central Time Zone during the winter and Eastern Time Zone in the
summer.
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