Costa Rica

The Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south-southeast, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and by the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica is seen as an example of political stability in the region, and sometimes refered to as the "Switzerland of Central America." Costa Rica has no army.

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Costa Rica

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Costa Rica consists of seven provinces:

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• Alajuela (central; north of capital San José)
• Cartago
• Guanacaste (north-west)
• Heredia
• Limón
• Puntarenas (along most of the Pacific coast, with a large bulge in the south-west and a smaller one at the northern end at both sides of the Golfo de Nicoya, where the homonymous capital is located)
• San José (Area around capital)

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