The geography of Costa Rica is a narrow bridge between North and South America, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. The country covers about 51,100 square kilometers, similar in size to Denmark or West Virginia, and it holds roughly 5 percent of known species on Earth.
Mountains, coasts, and rivers
Four ranges form the spine: Guanacaste, Tilarán, the Central Volcanic Range, and Talamanca. Chirripó, in Talamanca, is the highest point at 3,821 meters. Active volcanoes include Poás, Irazú, Turrialba, and Rincón de la Vieja. Arenal is the cone most visitors photograph, near La Fortuna. Rivers drop from these ridges to both coasts. The Pacuare and Reventazón run east. The Tempisque drains the dry northwest into the Gulf of Nicoya.
Coasts and protected land
The Pacific coast is longer and more varied, from the dry beaches of the North Pacific to the rain forest of the Osa Peninsula. The Caribbean coast is shorter, wetter, and lined with canals and reef. More than a quarter of the country is in national parks, reserves, or refuges. That is why a short drive from the Central Valley can reach cloud forest or a Pacific beach. The provinces guide names the seven political regions that sit on this map, and the weather guide explains how elevation changes the climate.