| Official Name | Republic of Costa Rica (República de Costa Rica) |
| Area | 51,100 km² (slightly smaller than Lower Saxony) |
| Population | approx. 5.2 million (2025) |
| Capital | San José (approx. 350,000, metropolitan area 2 million) |
| Official Language | Spanish (Tico-Spanish — friendly and clear) |
| Currency | Costa Rican Colón (CRC) + US Dollar (accepted everywhere) — 1 EUR ≈ 560–600 CRC (2025/26) |
| Time Zone | UTC-6 (7 hours behind CET, no daylight saving time) |
| Electricity | 120V, 60 Hz, Type A/B — Adapter needed! Devices with 110–240V (laptops, phone chargers) work |
| Drinking Water | Drinkable in most places — a rarity in Central America! |
| Religion | Approx. 70% Catholic, increasingly evangelical |
| Phone Code | +506 |
| Internet TLD | .cr |
| Visa | Not required for Germans/Austrians/Swiss (up to 90 days) |
| Highest Point | Cerro Chirripó (3,820 m) |