Where is Costa Rica located

Question 1

Where is Costa Rica located?

Answer 1

Costa Rica is small country in Central America. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The Caribbean Sea is to the east and the Pacific Ocean is to the west.

Question 2

What has been done prevent
deforestation?

Answer 2

● The government has passed laws to stop
deforestation.
● They gave landowners a financial incentive to
protect forest by paying them to keep it rather
than turn it into farmland.
● Set up 28 national reserves meaning 24% of the
country’s land area is protected.

Question 3

How many tourists does it attreact annualy?

Answer 3

2 million, most coming for the rainforest.

Question 4

How biodiverse is it?

Answer 4

It is home to ~5% of the world’s
biodiversity (animal and plant species).

Question 5

About the forest?

Answer 5

The cloud forest is at an altitude of about 1700 metres. It has extremely diverse flora
and fauna (over 100 species of mammals, 2,500 plant species).

Question 6

At what rate is it being deforested?

Answer 6

In the 1960s Costa Rica began to experience rapid deforestation, mainly due to
commercial farming (cattle ranching). Between 1970-1990, deforestation reached
one of the highest rates in the world, with 32,000 hectares of forest down each year.

Question 7

Pros

Answer 7

✔ 80 new businesses have opened in Monteverde since 1970s.
✔ The Biological Reserve in Monteverde now covers over 10,500 hectares, this
ensures wider habitat range for the animals within this ecosystem.
✔ It ensures that new infrastructure (new roads, sewers, water pipes, electricity lines)
benefit the locals as well as the tourists.
✔ Ecotourism aims to create local employment while conserving the natural
environment: There are 400 full-time and 140 part-time jobs directly related to
tourism.

Question 8

Cons

Answer 8

X People have migrated into the area looking for jobs. This is placing pressure on
the local infrastructure such as dirt roads.
X Atmosphere has negatively changed away from traditional local community to
a busy tourist centre.
X Tourists are demanding more and more facilities and greater luxury. These
facilities can use more electricity, although the majority of Costa Rica’s energy is
produced from renewable sources.