Costa Rica

American  

[kos-tuh ree-kuh, kaw-stuh, koh-, kaws-tah ree-kah] / ˈkɒs tə ˈri kə, ˈkɔ stə, ˈkoʊ-, ˈkɔs tɑ ˈri kɑ /

noun

1. a republic in Central America, between Panama and Nicaragua. 19,238 sq. mi. (49,825 sq. km). San José.

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Costa Rica British  

/ ˈkɒstə ˈriːkə /

noun

1. a republic in Central America: gained independence from Spain in 1821; mostly mountainous and volcanic, with extensive forests. Official language: Spanish. Official religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: colón. Capital: San José. Pop: 4 695 942 (2013 est). Area: 50 900 sq km (19 652 sq miles)

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Costa Rica Cultural  

1. Republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west. Its capital and largest city is San José.

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One of the most politically stable countries of Latin America; Costa Rica is traditionally very democratic. It has a literacy rate of over ninety percent.

Other Word Forms

• Costa Rican
  noun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Costa Rica

Chaves toured the maximum-security prison Bukele built and spearheaded the construction of a similar facility in Costa Rica, which is expected to open later this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Last year, it sold businesses in Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama to Banco Davivienda in exchange for a 20% stake in the enlarged Colombian lender.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Grynspan, the former vice-president of Costa Rica and head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, was followed by former Guyanese foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, according to two diplomatic sources briefed on the results.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

But his highest level of fame came from playing a thoughtful paleontologist summoned to an island off Costa Rica full of cloned dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park” in 1993.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

I promised to go over to sit with Sam while she packs for her trip to Costa Rica.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson