F.A.Q.'s

About Health Insurance in Costa Rica

What kind of medical services can I expect in Costa Rica?

About Costa Rica

What about the Government in Costa Rica?
What is the weather like in Costa Rica?
Give me an overview of the geography of the Country
Population and language

What kind of medical services can I expect in Costa Rica?

• Reliable medical services are available in Costa Rica.
  There are well-trained, competent doctors, dentists, ophthalmologists and specialists practicing in all the major cities. Many have studied in the United States, Europe or Canada and most speak English. The capital city of San Jose has numerous modern and well-equipped hospitals and clinics.
• Costa Rica offers visitors and tourist low-cost medical insurance while in the country through a program introduced by the Costa Rican Social Security office and the International Organization of Cultural Interchanges (OICI). The coverage can be purchased at travel agencies, language schools or through many tour companies.
• Go to http://www.hospitalcima.com/ to see the newest private clinic in San Jose. In Tiliran (sometimes spelled as Tilaran), there is an emergency medical facility which can be used for emergency primary care. In nearby Canas (14 miles), there is a full service hospital under construction and should be completed during the second quarter of 2006.

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What about the Government in Costa Rica?

• Costa Rica is a democratic republic. Under the 1949 constitution, all citizens are guaranteed quality before the law, the right to own property, the right of petition and assembly, freedom of speech and the right of habeas corpus. The constitution also divides the government into independent executive, legislative and judicial branches. The executive branch is composed of the president, two vice presidents and a cabinet. The legislature is the National Assembly, composed of 57 members (diputados) elected by proportional representation. National elections are held every four years, on the first Sunday of February. Under a constitutional amendment enacted in 1969, a president may serve only one four-year term during his lifetime. Diputados also are elected for four years and may serve a second term four years after the first ends. The largest political party is the National Liberation Party (PLN). Its main rival is the more conservative Social Christian Unity Party.

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What is the weather like in Costa Rica?

• Costa Rica is a tropical country which contains several distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most regions have a wet season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches nationwide with some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet on exposed eastern slopes. Temperature is more a matter of elevation than location with a mean of around 72 degrees in the Central Valley, 82 degrees on the Atlantic coast and 89 degrees on the Pacific coast.

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Give me an overview of the geography of the Country

• The country is divided by a backbone of volcanoes and mountains, an extension of the Andes-Sierra Madre chain which runs along the western side of the Americas. Costa Rica has four distinct cordilleras or mountain ranges -- Guanacaste and Tilaran in the north, Central and Talamanca in the south. The country's highest point is Mt. Chirripó (3,797 meters). The capital, San Jose, and the neighboring major cities of Alajuela and Heredia lies in the middle of the Meseta Central (Central Valley). Almost two-thirds of the nation's population live in this small, fertile valley. The Pacific coastal plain is much narrower than its Caribbean counterpart. Both coasts are lined with white and black sand beaches.

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Population and language

• There are four million people in Costa Rica with close to one million in San Jose and the Central Valley. The people, "Ticos" (as Costa Ricans are affectionately called), are self-assured, characterized by genuine friendliness and tremendous pride. Foreign travelers are warmly welcomed. Spanish is the official language with English widely spoken.

This FAQ is only intended to provide general information. It is not intended to be relied upon as legal, accounting, tax, or other professional advice or services. Please consult with legal counsel and a tax advisor to address your concerns.

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