Geography, Climate, and Wildlife

Costa Rica is a small country on the Central American isthmus, where it nestles between Nicaragua, its neighbor to the north, and Panamá, its neighbor to the southeast. To give you some idea of how small the country is, Costa Rica comprises an area roughly equivalent in size to that of the state of West Virginia; for Europeans, Costa Rica is about the same size as The Netherlands. This narrow country is oriented along an axis that runs from the northwest to the southeast, and is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. A series of four mountain ranges run down the length of the country, essentially dividing it into two parts: the Pacific slope and the Caribbean slope. (The majority of the population lives in a large valley that is located roughly in the center of the country.) A mountainous country with over 150 volcanoes—a number of them active—Costa Rica is also home to Mount Chirripó, which, at 3,820 m (12,530 ft), is the tallest peak in the country.

In such a small country, it is surprising to find 12 life zones, each with a characteristic mix of plant and animal life (and climactic conditions). Within this varied terrain, you will encounter rainforests, cloud forests, dry tropical forests, mangrove swamps, and even a páramo—which is an alpine region of bogs and scrubland—along with cattle pastures and fields of sugar cane, deep-green coffee plants, and pineapple.

Because Costa Rica lies between 8 and 11 degrees latitude north, it doesn’t experience the four marked seasons that people from temperate climates are used to. Here there are two seasons, the dry season and the rainy season. During the dry season, which runs roughly from December through April, rain is sparse and the days are generally sunny and hot. The rainy season begins with the first downpours of May and continues until about the middle of November. At the start of the rainy season, the rains last for only an hour or two in the mid-afternoon, but as the months pass it rains progressively longer each day. Throughout the rainy season, however, even during the rainiest days of October, you are still likely to see the sun during the morning hours. Rain or shine, temperatures vary little throughout the year—in the tropics, temperature variations are more a function of altitude and other topographical factors than they are of seasonal changes.

The word that many Costa Ricans use to describe the rainy season is invierno (winter), but unlike temperate climates, where winter rain brings with it cold weather and early evenings, Costa Rica’s “winter” is in many ways one of the most pleasant times of the year (except, that is, in areas where flooding is common). The climate, for example, continues to be warm; indeed, on most days, you will wake up to a sunny morning; afternoon showers remove humidity and heat from the air; in the dry beach areas of Guanacaste, vegetation becomes more lush and the rains damper the dusty roads; and, the beaches and hotels are less crowded because tourism takes a downturn during the rainy season. And, rainy season or dry season—indeed throughout the year—the sun sets at about 6:00 pm, so that the onset of “winter” does not mean early, gloomy evenings.

One thing important to keep in mind—especially when it comes time to decide where you want to live in Costa Rica—is that climate and general weather conditions vary greatly from region to region within the country. The Central Valley, where about three-fourths of the country’s population lives, has spring-like weather year round; daily highs waver between 75°F and 80°F, while nighttime lows range between 60°F and 68°F. You will rarely need to wear a jacket if you live in the Central Valley—and you will virtually never need a jacket if you live by the coast, where the climate is humid and hot throughout the year; temperatures by the beach—and in the northern plains of Guanacaste—range from lows in the mid-70s to highs of 85°F. There are also options for people who prefer cooler temperatures. Within the Central Valley, Heredia and Cartago, for example, both experience cooler temperatures than lower areas of the valley. Outside of the Central Valley, Monteverde and Cerro de La Muerte are two regions (among many) where the evenings can turn chilly.

In a region with such a range of geographical features—and with diverse weather to match—it should probably come as no surprise that Costa Rica is home to an amazing wealth of biodiversity. This country, with land that represents just 0.03% of the world’s total landmass, is home to about 6% of the world’s mammal species! The fauna and flora of Costa Rica attract research biologists from around the world. And, the country’s more than 850 species of birds—many of them tropical beauties—make Costa Rica one of the top birding spots in the world. Your choice of where to live—even in such a small country—thus becomes very important; it will determine the topography that surrounds you, the climate and weather that shape your daily life, and the animals and plants that live outside your front door.