Finding Costa Rica on the Map
Have you ever wondered where the country of Costa Rica is at on the map? Here is a brief overview to learn a little more about its geographic location.
Costa Rica is located just north of Panama and to the south of Nicaragua. It is precisely at 10° north from the equator and at 84° west of the prime meridian. Its eastern border is comprised of the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, and its western border is predominately made up of the sapphire blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Costa Rica has a total of over 800 miles of coastline with over 200 miles on the Caribbean side, and more than 600 miles on the Pacific. Costa Rica is quickly becoming more and more accessible as many new North American cities are adding the airports in San Jose and Liberia to their flight destinations. There are direct flights from Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Denver and Phoenix, as well as other major North American cities, with a flight time of only about three hours from Miami and Houston. Costa Rica can be accessed by vehicle via the Pan-American highway which extends from Fairbanks, Alaska to the lower reaches of South America, and has the distinction of being recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records as the longest “motorable road” in the world. This drive would be quite an undertaking as you would have to pass through the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua before arriving to Costa Rica.
The Costa Rica climate is made ideal because of its location. There are only a few areas in the country at the highest of elevations that ever experience freezing weather. The majority of Costa Ricans enjoy ideal temperatures for most of the year. The location also lends itself to avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes, as they pass to the North of Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s location makes it the ideal place to enjoy year round moderate temperatures, and some of the most beautiful land in the world.
Costa Rica also has the distinction of being the only place in the world where on a clear day you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. For the adventurous at heart, you can climb to the top of Mount Chirripo, which is located near the charming city of San Isidro de General, and on a clear day catch a glance of the Caribbean sea to the east, and the blue Pacific to the west. There are several tour operators that will take you on this strenuous climb to the highest point in the country.
Tags: costa rica, location, map
March 16th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I just wanted to send a quick thank you. My son had a school project on Costa Rica and your articles were a great reference point. This was an easy read for him so he managed to gather all the info himself. And for that - I’m truly grateful! THANKS.