Costa Rica has the following customs when greeting others: Men typically shake hands, women often touch forearms or kiss cheeks if close friends, and men and women may shake hands or give a kiss on the cheek. Pointing with one finger is normal but rude if at a person, and fidgeting is impolite. Holidays unique to Costa Rica include St. Joseph's Day in March, National Hero's Day in April, St. Peter and St. Paul's Day in June, Annexation of Guanacaste in July, Virgin of Los Angeles Day in August, Independence Day in September, and All Soul's Day in November.

2. COSTA RICA

3. COSTA RICA

4. COSTA RICA
By Sally Kuehn, Taylor Pani, Brooke
Hartgers, & Dana Saidnawey

6. Customs

7. Greetings Customs

8. Greetings Customs Gestures

9. Greetings Customs Gestures
When two men greet each
other, they usually shake hands
When two women greet each
other, they usually touch each
other lightly on the forearm. If
the women are close friends,
they kiss each other once on
the cheek
When a man and a woman
greet each other, they typically
shake hands or give each other
a small kiss on the cheek

10. Greetings Customs Gestures
When two men greet each Pointing with one finger is
other, they usually shake hands normal, but it is considered
rude if you are clearly pointing
When two women greet each at another person
other, they usually touch each
other lightly on the forearm. If Clapping one hand with the
the women are close friends, backside of the other and
they kiss each other once on dragging the second hand
the cheek down is a common gesture
that means, “Let’s go”
When a man and a woman
greet each other, they typically Fidgeting hands and feet are
shake hands or give each other impolite
a small kiss on the cheek

12. Geography

13. Geography
Costa Rica has many coastal
plains separated by mountains
There are over 100 volcanoes
1/4 of the land is protected by
the government
Over 1,100 miles of coastline
Irazu is the tallest volcano in
Costa Rica
There are many rainforests in
Costa Rica

15. Wildlife

16. Wildlife
130 species of freshwater fish
160 species of amphibians
208 species of mammals
220 species of reptiles
850 species of birds
1,000 species of butterflies
1,200 varieties of orchids
9,000 species of plants
34,000 species of insects

18. Religion

19. Religion
Roman Catholicism is the most popular religion with 70.2% of the population
44.9% identify themselves as practicing Roman Catholics
25.6% identify themselves as non-practicing Roman Catholics
13.8% identify themselves as evangelical Protestants
11.3% say they are not religious
4.3% say they are “another religion”
Other religions in Costa Rica include:
Buddhism
Hinduism
Judaism
Islam
Jehovah’s Witnesses

20. Holidays

21. Holidays
Holidays that are celebrated in Costa Rica but not in the
United States include:

22. Holidays
Holidays that are celebrated in Costa Rica but not in the
United States include:
St. Joseph’s Day (March 19)
National Hero’s Day Parades in Alajuela -
Commemorates the national hero who fought at
the Battle of Rivas in 1865 (April 11)
St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day (June 29)
Anexion de Guanacaste - Celebrates Guanacaste’s
entrance into the Costa Rican union in 1824 (July
25)
Virgin of Los Angeles Day - Honors Saint Mary,
Patron Saint of Costa Rica (August 2)
Independence Day - Celebrates Costa Rican
independence from Spain in 1821 (September 15)
All Soul’s Day a.k.a Day of the Dead (November 2)

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