North+America

Costa Rica covers 19,730 square miles (51,100 square kilometers) and is just smaller than West Virginia. About 50 percent of Costa Rica is covered by different types of forests. About 30 percent of the total territory is reserved as protected areas. This small nation has a diverse landscape of tropical rain forests, mountain cloud forests, volcanoes, coastal lowlands, beaches, and beautiful rivers. Although Costa Rica lies entirely in the tropical climate zone, elevation changes allow for cooler temperatures in the central highlands. The coastal lowlands are hot and humid; temperatures there average 81°F (27°C) year-round. Most people live at elevations where the climate is generally mild. In San José and other parts of the central valley highlands, temperatures average 67°F (19°C) year-round. Rainfall varies between the wet season (May–November) and the dry season (December–April). The land is subject to frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. A variety of native peoples lived in present-day Costa Rica before Columbus arrived in 1502. In the north, the indigenous cultures were influenced by Mayan civilization. Southern groups were more closely related to the indigenous peoples of South America. Spain eventually colonized the Costa Rican area along with most of Central America. Because minerals were scarce, the area was ignored by the Spanish crown and remained isolated. In 1821, Costa Rica joined other Central American nations in declaring independence from Spain. In 1824, it became a state of the Federal Republic of Central America. Shortly before the republic collapsed, Costa Rica became a sovereign nation (1838).

The Roman Catholic church claims membership of about 80 percent of the population. Until the mid-1980’s, it was the nation’s official church but it lost that status when the government decreed that a democratic nation should not support any particular religion. Although the Catholic church continues to be very influential, the constitution guarantees religious freedom to the people. As is the trend elsewhere, secularization in Costa Rica is leading some people away from organized religion. At the same time, a growing number of religious people are joining other Christian churches, and religion still plays an important role in so Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica. English is widely understood. Patua (creole English) is spoken by the black population. Bribri, spoken by some indigenous groups, is the most common indigenous language. Ten other native groups speak Spanish or a native tongue. Costa Ricans call themselves ticos and are known by that name throughout Central America. The nickname comes from the Costa Rican custom of ending words with the suffix -tico. So instead of saying chico (small) or chiquitito (very small), Costa Ricans say chiquitico. Most people eat three meals a day, with midmorning and afternoon coffee breaks or snacks. Breakfast and dinner are the most important meals, as lunch is becoming more rushed and is more often eaten away from home. Business professionals make lunch dates, but dinner is otherwise the meal for entertaining guests. Mealtime is to be enjoyed and is extended by conversation on a variety of subjects. Table manners vary, but as a general rule, one keeps both hands above the table rather than in the lap. Restaurant bills customarily include a tip of 10 percent. Further tipping is not expected. Costa Ricans eat rice and beans in various combinations for nearly every meal. Typical at breakfast is gallo pinto (mixture of rice and black beans). A common lunchtime meal is casado (beans, salad, meat, plantains, and sometimes eggs). Olla de carne (a beef stew with potatoes, onions, and many vegetables) is a national favorite. Tamales (meat, vegetables, and cornmeal wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled) are served for Easter and Christmas. Also common are lengua en salsa (beef tongue served in a sauce), mondongo (intestine soup), empanadas (turnovers), arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), and gallos (tortillas with meat and vegetable fillings). Bread, tortillas, and fruits are also staple items. Ticos of all ages enjoy coffee. Adults may take two or three coffee breaks each day. Despite a relative lack of minerals and other traditional natural resources, Costa Rica has a fairly prosperous economy. Real gross domestic product per capita has more than doubled in the last generation. This is due in part to Costa Rica's stability; successful tourism, timber, and agricultural industries; and a generally egalitarian society. The country experienced steady growth in the early 1990s. In the mid-1990s the economy slowed because of low world prices for agricultural products, adverse weather conditions, and government measures to control inflation. Unemployment is low, but underemployment remains a problem. Poverty affects about one-fifth of the population. Exports include coffee, bananas, beef, sugar, cocoa, and fertilizer. Costa Rica is one of the largest banana producers in the world. Ornamental flowers are becoming an increasingly important export. Cattle raising is concentrated in the Guanacaste province but is expanding to other areas. Manufacturing and tourism now contribute more to the economy than agriculture. Other industries include food processing, textiles, and construction materials. Costa Rica has excellent potential for hydroelectric power: hydroelectric power plants supply nearly all of the country's electricity. Tourism facilities are well developed, so the industry is prosperous and important to the economy. Tourists are particularly drawn to Costa Rica's protected areas, and ecotourism has grown in popularity in recent years. Costa Rica has been a major recipient of foreign aid, and foreign investment in the country is increasing. The monetary unit is the Costa Rican colón (CRC), or plural, colones. -Ashley

History

People lived in the area known as Finland as early as 8000 BC. Germanic peoples and other tribes, including the Tavasts, Lapps (also called Sami—pronounced “SAW-me”), and Karelians, also inhabited the area thousands of years ago. Eventually the Finno-Ugric tribe became dominant. Tradition has it that in 1155, a crusade from Sweden brought Catholicism and Swedish rule to the region, though neither were fully established until the mid- to late 13th century. For the next several hundred years, Finland remained a part of the Swedish kingdom, although Protestantism replaced Catholicism during the Reformation. Upon losing a war to Russia in 1809, Sweden ceded Finland to the conquering power. Under Sweden's rule, Finland existed as a group of provinces, not a unified entity. After his victory, the Russian czar Alexander I fulfilled his promise to grant Finland extensive autonomy; Finland soon became a grand duchy of the Russian Empire with Alexander as its grand duke. The years spent under Alexander's command are considered one of the best periods in Finnish history. A national movement led to the establishment of Finnish as an official language, along with Swedish, in 1863. The Finns also had a semiautonomous legislature to administer local affairs. Eventually, Russia came to resent this autonomy and attempted to more fully integrate Finland in 1899, but the Finns resisted the Russification policies. This struggle would have led to armed rebellion; however, the Bolshevik Revolution gripped Russia before that could happen. Finland declared its independence, which was recognized by the Bolsheviks, on 6 December 1917.

After a brief civil war, the Finns adopted a republican constitution in 1919. During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice: in the Winter War (1939–40) and then in the Continuation War (1941–44). Finland was forced to cede one-tenth of its territory (now the Russian region of Karelia) to the Soviet Union but avoided Soviet occupation and preserved its independence.

The Finns signed a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in 1948, binding themselves to resist any attack on the Soviet Union that involved Finnish territory. The treaty still allowed trade and good relations with the West but created a situation where the Soviet Union could influence Finnish foreign policy. In 1989, Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev officially recognized Finland's neutrality for the first time. In 1992, Russian and Finnish presidents signed a treaty voiding the 1948 agreement. The new treaty recognizes Russia's and Finland's equality, sovereignty, and positive economic relations. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland moved toward integration with Europe. Voters supported European Union (EU) membership in a 1994 referendum; the country officially joined the EU in 1995.

The 1991 elections brought Finland its first nonsocialist government in years, sending the once-ruling Social Democrats into Parliament's opposition. The new center-right coalition government took office during the global recession and suffered a loss of popularity when the economy weakened. Control of the government has since changed hands multiple times. In 2000, Tarja Halonen became Finland's first female president; she was narrowly reelected in 2006. Language

More than 91 percent of the population speaks Finnish, a Finno-Ugric language belonging to a different language family than other Scandinavian languages. It is most closely related to Estonian. Swedish is also officially recognized. While only the Sami minority speaks Sami, Finland recognizes the language (although not as an official one). English is a popular second language, especially among younger people and the educated.

Those who speak Finnish as a native language must study Swedish for three years in school. Likewise, Swedish speakers learn Finnish. Finnish words often include many vowels. Changing the length of a vowel or a consonant sound can alter the meaning of a word. Because it has a complex set of grammar rules, Finnish is often a difficult language for foreigners to learn

Population

Finland has about 5.2 million people, and the population is growing at a rate of 0.1 percent annually. The majority (93 percent) of the people are Finns, although there is a significant Swedish-speaking minority (6 percent). Finland also has very small minorities of native Sami, Roma (Gypsies), Russians, and Estonians. The overall population density is only 40 people per square mile (15 per square kilometer), but most people live in southern Finland. Around 61 percent of Finns live in towns or cities. Urbanization is a relatively new trend, so most people still have roots in the countryside and their home villages.

Life Cycle

Most Finnish parents baptize their babies, in a Lutheran ceremony, within three months of birth. Finns consider it unlucky to tell anyone the baby's name before the baptism. At 15, members of the church and sometimes other children, too, are confirmed. The responsibility of the godparents ends at confirmation, which is said to be “a permission to marry.” Most Finns choose a Lutheran-style funeral, during which the priest blesses the deceased and mourners leave flowers on the coffin and read farewells. In some parts of Finland, it is tradition for the men in the deceased's family to carry the coffin to the grave and lower it into the earth. After the burial, guests talk while they eat dinner or coffee and cake. Visiting

Finnish homes are private places. In a sense, one is invited into a friendship with the host when one is invited to a home. It is a meaningful gesture. Finns expect visitors to be punctual. Visitors usually take cut flowers, a bottle of wine, or chocolates as a gift to the hosts. Visits are nearly always an occasion for coffee and cakes or cookies. Guests wait until the host has taken a first sip before they drink. Most visits are informal and involve relaxing and socializing. On special occasions, guests may be invited to sit in a sauna with the hosts. Spending time in the sauna is a national pastime. Brittany