Costa Rica

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

1,290 km

1,015 sq km (2012)

Central America and the Caribbean

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m) is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city, as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

hydropower

slightly smaller than West Virginia

10 00 N, 84 00 W

roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population