Costa Rica Explorer

Costa Rica History

Columbus first saw this portion of Central America in 1502 during his last trip to the New World. But Spanish settlement did not begin until the mid-1500s because early expeditions were beset by disease and local resistance from the Guaymi people. The Spanish did find some gold in the area - inspiring the name Costa Rica (Rich Coast) - but not the large reserves they sought.

Colonization proceeded slowly along the east coast until the Spanish finally moved to the fertile valleys and mesas of the interior, known as the Central Valley. Geography kept the plantation system, with its attendant slavery, from developing in Costa Rica. Instead, the colonists gathered near the indigenous communities and built ranches and farms. The towns grew into distinct provinces that, even today, retain their own characters. Such independence and self-reliance are thought to be the reasons democracy came more naturally to Costa Rica than to its neighbors when the country gained its independence in the early 1820s. Brief civil wars erupted among the major cities, but the more liberal forces of San Jose emerged victorious, moving the country toward fair, democratic elections in the late 1800s

Costa Ricatake pride in having more than one hundred years of democratic tradition, and almost half a century without an army. The army was abolished in 1948, and the money the country saves by not expending in military issues is invested in improving the Costa Ricans standard of living, which has fostered a culture of social peace that makes it such a pleasant place to visit.