Costa Rica History

History
Costa Rica, is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. The sovereign state of Costa Rica is a unitary presidential constitutional republic. It's known for its long-standing and stable democracy, and for its highly educated workforce, most of whom speak English. The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget on education. Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, and ecotourism.

From the settlement of Central America in the 1500's until 1821, the Costa Rica area pertained to the Spanish crown. From 1821 to 1823 it pertained to the Mexican empire and from 1823 to 1838 to the Central American Federation. Costa Rica officially became independent from other governments in 1848. The country held democratic elections in 1869 and has maintained a democracy since that time, except a couple of brief periods in the first half of the twentieth century. It's boundaries have fluctuated over the centuries, but came to closely resemble today's boundaries in the early 20th century

Costa Rica was sparsely inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the First Mexican Empire, followed by membership in the United Provinces of Central America, from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Since then, Costa Rica has remained among the most stable, prosperous, and progressive nations in Latin America. Following the brief Costa Rican Civil War, it permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming one of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army.

Costa Rica in 2017 was facing a market liquidity crisis due to a growing debt and budget deficit. By August 2017, the Treasury was having difficulty paying its obligations. Other challenges facing the country in its attempts to improve the economy by increasing foreign investment include a poor infrastructure and a need to improve public sector efficiency. 

Timeline
1500's until 1821 From the settlement of Central America in the 1500's until 1821, the Costa Rica area pertained to the Spanish crown 1821 - After the final Spanish defeat in the Mexican War of Independence authorities in Guatemala declared the independence of all of Central America. That date is still celebrated as Independence Day in Costa Rica 1838 - After the Federal Republic of Central America ceased to function Costa Rica formally withdrew and proclaimed itself sovereign 1890 - Most Afro-Costa Ricans descend from Jamaican immigrants who worked in the construction of a railway and now make up about 3% of Costa Rica's population. U.S. convicts, Italians and Chinese immigrants also participated in the construction project 1948 - José Figueres Ferrer led an armed uprising in the wake of a disputed presidential election with more than 2,000 dead 1953 - Costa Rica has held 14 presidential elections, the latest in 2018. With uninterrupted democracy dating back to at least 1948, the country is the region's most stable

Online History

 * English wiki entry on history of Costa Rica
 * Spanish wiki entry on history of Costa Rica
 * "The History of Costa Rica"
 * "History of the Discovery and Conquest of Costa Rica," a Google eBook, published in 1913
 * "Elementos de Historia de Costa Rica: 1502-1856," a Google eBook, published in 1892
 * "Elementos de Historia de Costa Rica: 1856-1890," a Google eBook, published in 1894
 * "Historia de Costa Rica durante la Dominación Española: 1502-1821," a Google eBook, published in 1889