Instituto Nacional Francisco Gavidia

English work

Student: José Alexander Reyes Rivera

Grade: 2G

Sections: “A”

Teacher: Carlos Wilfredo Rodríguez Gonzales

Year: 2021
 Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a sovereign nation, organized as a
unitary presidential republic made up of 7 provinces. Located in Central America, it
has a territory with a total area of 51,100 km². It borders Nicaragua to the north, the
Caribbean Sea to the east, Panama to the southeast and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
As for the maritime borders, it borders Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia and
Ecuador.10 11 It has 5 163 068 inhabitants according to its latest demographic
projection.12 Its capital, political and economic center is San José, and its official
language It is Spanish.13 It is the southernmost country in North America, its
southernmost point is Cocos Island.

With a solid and long-lived democracy, one of the most functional in the world, and an
effective capacity for social mobility that allows it to achieve high overall progress in
relation to the distribution and size of its economy, Costa Rica is the 50th richest
country according to data from the International Monetary Fund and one of the most
stable in America, obtaining generally favorable results in all development and
competitiveness indices. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 In addition to this, it has several policies
at the forefront for the protection of the environment and it is a demilitarized nation
of its own free will since 1948,29 maintaining a high level of prosperity according to
the Legatum Institute and being considered the happiest society on the planet, for
more than a decade , according to the New Economics Foundation.31

In parallel, the country currently faces important challenges in its development

related to the deficient condition and capacity to improve its road and transport
infrastructure, a high fiscal deficit, the sustainability and effectiveness of its welfare
state, stagnation in poverty, the upward trend in their crime, unemployment and
inequality rates; as well as deep ecological problems related to harmful agricultural
practices, poor waste management and contamination of water bodies
patriotic
symbols
 Costa Rica's flag
The first flag of Costa Rica was put into effect in May 1823, when the Provisional
Assembly of Costa Rica instituted it. It was white with a red star in the center and it
remained until 1824. The Second Flag was approved in August 1823, during the
Constituent Assembly of Central America, held in Guatemala. It was made up of
three stripes, two blue and one white in the center.
It was the flag that Costa Rica had during the years that it was part of the Federation;
Its validity was maintained from March 1824, when the country entered this
organization until 1840. After the fall of Braulio Carrillo in 1842, Francisco Morazán
reinstated it and it was valid until 1848. On leaving the country from the Central
American Federation In 1838, the need for a third flag arose, however it was until
1840, Carrillo agreed that the Free State of Costa Rica would be represented by a
white flag with a blue stripe in the center; it remained until 1842.
Current tricolor flag of Costa Rica, emerged in 1848 and created by the hands of
Pacifica Fernández
The fourth or current flag, was decreed by the administration of Doctor José María
Castro Madriz, it has been said that the opinion of Pacifica Fernández, his wife, was
decisive in choosing the colors and that her admiration for French culture influenced
her. . It was decreed in September 1848. It is made up of five horizontal stripes: the
first and fifth are blue, the second and fourth are white, and a red stripe in the center,
whose width is twice as wide as the others.
It is understood that the colors of the Costa Rican flag represent:
- BLUE: the sky that covers Costa Rica like a protective mantle, the goal of the human
being when he seeks the highest ideals and thinks about eternity.
- WHITE: the peace that exists in Costa Rica and the purity of its ideals.
- RED: the energy, courage and detachment with which Costa Ricans defend their
principles and ideals, such as their democratic way of life. Also the warmth of the
Costa Rican way of being, which extends to other countries in the world.
 National Coat of Arms of Costa Rica
The National Shield represents three volcanoes and an extensive valley between two
oceans and in each of these a merchant ship. At the extreme left of the upper line that
marks the horizon there will be a rising sun. The shield will be closed by two myrtle
palms, joined by a wide white ribbon and will contain the legend: "Republic of Costa
Rica" in gold letters. The space between the profile of the volcanoes and the myrtle
palms will be occupied by seven stars of equal magnitude, placed in an arc that will
represent the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste,
Puntarenas and Limón.
The top of the shield will be formed by a blue ribbon in the shape of a crown in which
the legend "Central America" will appear in silver letters. The shield was
promulgated on September 29, 1848, during the administration of Dr. José María
Castro Madriz. This shield has undergone two changes: all the military elements it
had were removed and then two more stars were added to complete the seven, one for
each province.
Current coat of arms of Costa Rica, created in 1848 in the administration of José
María Castro Madriz
Meaning of the elements of the National Shield: - The volcanoes represent the three
Cordilleras, which identify the geography of the country. - Oceans and ships; they
symbolize the ports in the Pacific and the Caribbean, through which the country
strengthens relations with the world. - The rising sun indicates the recent formation of
the Republic, free and independent. - The stars represent the seven provinces of Costa
Rica.
 National Anthem of Costa Rica
Until mid-1853 the notes of the National Anthem of Costa Rica had never been
known, the country had already 31 years of independent life and did not have an
anthem. At that time the visit of a diplomatic delegation from the United States and
England was expected, for which a special act was organized in which the military
band would perform the national anthems of those countries. It is when President
Juan Rafael Mora Porras asks Manuel María Gutiérrez to make a hymn, said Carlos
Saavedra, a music professor at the National University.
On the subject, many anecdotes circulate, one for example says that President Mora
Porras practically forced Maestro Gutiérrez to compose the music. They say that he
was told he had to do it or he was going to jail for 30 days. It is also said that Manuel
María Gutiérrez had to compose in jail, where he was sent after refusing the
president's request. The truth is that Maestro Gutiérrez finally did his job and on
June 11, 1853, the notes of the National Anthem were sung for the first time. With the
music came the lyrics. In 1903 a contest was held to put lyrics to the hymn, and José
María. Zeledón won the contest. It was on September 15 of that same year that it was
sung for the first time, with the lyrics that it currently has.
The music of the National Anthem was born during the government of Juan Rafael
Mora, in 1852, when the President of the Republic asked Manuel María Gutiérrez to
make the music and he did it in three days. To choose the lyrics, a contest was held in
1903. The prize was won by José María Billo Zeledón, and since then it was the only
letter with which the hymn was sung. The letter was declared official on June 10,
1949.

Lyrics
Noble homeland, your beautiful flag
expression of your life gives us;
under the limpid blue of your sky
white and pure rest peace.
In the tenacious fight,
of fruitful labor
that makes the face of man red,
your children conquered
simple peasants
eternal prestige, esteem and honor.
Hail, oh gentle land!
Hail, oh mother of love!
When someone pretends
stain your glory,
you will see your brave and virile people,
the rough tool in a barter weapon.
Hail, oh Fatherland, your prodigal soil,
sweet shelter and sustenance it gives us;
under the limpid blue of your sky
Always live work and peace!
Lyrics: José María Zeledón
Music: Manuel María Gutiérrez
 National Bird of Costa Rica

Yiguirro or brown blackbird, is the national bird of Costa Rica, declared in 1977
The Yigüirro (turdus grayi), was declared a national bird since January 3, 1977, as a
tribute to its powerful and melodious song that accompanies the onset of the rainy
season. The reasons that motivated the declaration of the yigüirro as a National Bird,
is based on how familiar this bird has been to Costa Ricans for a long time, precisely
because it lives very close to houses and its name is mentioned in typical songs, stories
and literary works by Costa Rican authors such as Juan Varela and Marcos Ramírez.

The brown blackbird or yigüiro can measure approximately between 22 and 24 cm.
The two sexes have identical plumage, yellowish brown color, a little lighter in the
throat and belly. The iris is reddish-brown in color, the bill is yellowish and the legs
are brownish. The yigüirro walks in small leaps.

National Tree of Costa Rica

Guanacaste tree, declared a national symbol in 1959
The Guanacaste tree was declared the national tree of Costa Rica, on August 31, 1959,
during the administration of Lic. Mario Echandi Jiménez, by decree No. 7. It was
chosen as a tribute to the Guanacastecans, for their annexation to the country. of
1825, and also, because for many the immense shade that this beautiful tree gives,
resembles the protection that the State offers to all Costa Ricans. Guanacaste comes
from the Nahuatl indigenous language and in that language the word "guanacaste"
means ear tree, because the fruits of the tree resemble people's ears.

The Guanacaste tree is the symbol of stability and growth, it radiates strength around
it, its silhouette is elegant, wind-resistant, solemn, powerful, the guanacaste captivates
at first sight with its vast, rounded, umbrella-shaped crown. In Costa Rica, the
guanacaste is found from sea level to 900 meters of altitude. The word guanacaste
derives from the roots of the word Nahuati: quatil, which means tree and nacaztli,
ear, or ear tree, since the fruit of this tree has that shape.
 National Flower of Costa Rica

Guaria morada, declared a national flower in 1939, is the most cultivated orchid in
Costa Rica.
In 1939 in Argentina a garden called the "Garden of Peace" was founded and the
Ticos were asked to send their national flower to shine with the other flowers of the
different countries. At that time in Costa Rica there was no national flower, none had
been chosen as such. It was then that the Garden Club and the Rotary Club held a
contest to choose the flower that would represent them from then on.

The flowers participating in the contest had to meet some requirements: be Costa
Rican, originally from America and be incorporated into customs; the winner turned
out to be the orchid, popularly known as "la guaria morada" whose scientific name is
"cattleya skinneri". The purple guaria blooms in the months of February and March.
It was decreed "National Flower" in the government of León Cortés Castro by the
Secretary of State in the Office of Development and Agriculture, by agreement No. 24
of June 15, 1939.