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Quiz about Republic of Costa Rica
Quiz about Republic of Costa Rica

Republic of Costa Rica Trivia Quiz


Come visit the Central American country whose national motto is "Long live work and peace". This quiz shouldn't be too much like hard work. (Clicking on the image to make it larger may help you answer some questions.)

A photo quiz by looney_tunes. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
looney_tunes
Time
4 mins
Type
Photo Quiz
Quiz #
336,739
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Easy
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
3912
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Samoyed7 (9/10), Guest 152 (8/10), Guest 152 (6/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This map shows the Central American country of Costa Rica. What are the two countries with which it shares land borders? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This map shows the Central American country of Costa Rica, a name meaning 'Rich Coast'. What bodies of water provide its eastern and western borders? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Like most countries, Costa Rica is divided into smaller political units for purposes of local government. These are called provinces, cantons, and districts. Into how many provinces is Costa Rica divided? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Costa Rica includes a number of islands, mostly near the coast. What island, located around 550 km (350mi) out in the Pacific and pictured on several Costa Rican banknotes, is the furthest point of the country? (If the picture here isn't clear, try looking at Q3 again.) Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. As this relief map of Costa Rica shows, the centre of the isthmus is quite mountainous. Which of the following is NOT part of this mountainous 'spine'? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Costa Rica has four relatively active volcanoes, all located in the Central Range. What is the name of Costa Rica's highest volcano? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What is the English language translation of the first line of the Costa Rican national anthem, "Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera"? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This 1863 Costa Rican postage stamp shows the original coat of arms designed by Pacifica Fernandez, the wife of Costa Rica's first president, Jose Marķa Castro Madriz. One of the main differences between this coat of arms and the current one (shown in the next question) lies in the number of stars - this has five stars, the current one has seven. What is the reason for this difference? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The description of the Costa Rican coat of arms includes "All surrounded by a golden frame representing the golden bead (_____)." Which agricultural product, one of the mainstays of Costa Rica's economy in the 19th and 20th centuries, is being alluded to? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The national animal of Costa Rica is the Odocoileus virginianus truei, shown here. By what name is this animal more commonly called? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 23 2024 : Samoyed7: 9/10
Mar 14 2024 : Guest 152: 8/10
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 152: 6/10
Mar 04 2024 : Guest 107: 10/10
Mar 03 2024 : Guest 47: 7/10
Feb 07 2024 : geosid300: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This map shows the Central American country of Costa Rica. What are the two countries with which it shares land borders?

Answer: Panama and Nicaragua

The countries of Central America are Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Costa Rica is nestled between Nicaragua on the north and Panama on the south. The large lake visible near the northern border of Costa Rica is Lago de Nicaragua.
2. This map shows the Central American country of Costa Rica, a name meaning 'Rich Coast'. What bodies of water provide its eastern and western borders?

Answer: Pacific Ocean on the west, Caribbean Sea on the east

Costa Rica's extensive coastline on the Pacific Ocean includes the colorfully-named Golfo de Papagayo (Gulf of the Parrot), currently being developed for tourists, and the large Golfo de Nicoya, which is one of the region's major fishing grounds. Most of the luxury resort areas are found along the northern stretch of the Pacific coast, in the province of Guanacaste.

The Caribbean coast is popular for the excellent spring surfing.
3. Like most countries, Costa Rica is divided into smaller political units for purposes of local government. These are called provinces, cantons, and districts. Into how many provinces is Costa Rica divided?

Answer: Seven

There are seven provinces (as shown on the map, with each one in a different color). The province of Puntarenas is unusual in that it has three separate regions, one stretching along the mainland for most of the Pacific coast, one on the Nicoya Peninsula, and one incorporating the offshore island of Cocos.

The provinces do not have elected local governments - this second tier of government acts at the level of the canton, of which Costa Rica has 81, each controlled by a mayor and a council of canton representatives chosen in municipal elections.
4. Costa Rica includes a number of islands, mostly near the coast. What island, located around 550 km (350mi) out in the Pacific and pictured on several Costa Rican banknotes, is the furthest point of the country? (If the picture here isn't clear, try looking at Q3 again.)

Answer: Isla del Coco

Isla del Coco, or Cocos Island, lies in the Pacific Ocean around 550 km offshore from Costa Rica. It is the 11th district in the Puntarenas canton of the province of Puntarenas, and is a national park. The only residents are park rangers, but it is a popular tourist destination for scuba divers. It has been conjectured that this island was the model for Daniel Defoe's description of the island on which Robinson Crusoe was marooned, and that it may have been the inspiration for the island in Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park".

Isla Calero, Costa Rica's largest island, is in the San Juan River, which forms a large part of the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. It has been the subject of some territorial disputes. Isla Damas, in the Pacific Ocean near the city of Quepos, is popular with tourists who take boat rides through its rivers and estuaries to observe the abundant wildlife of the region. Isla San Lucas, formerly a prison, is a National Park.
5. As this relief map of Costa Rica shows, the centre of the isthmus is quite mountainous. Which of the following is NOT part of this mountainous 'spine'?

Answer: Baetic Cordillera

The central mountains of Costa Rica are part of the Continental Divide that runs the length of the Americas, including the Rocky Mountains and the Andes, with a whole lot of others joining in. Rivers arising on the west of the Divide eventually drain west into the Pacific Ocean, while those on the east eventually drain east into the Atlantic Ocean (of which the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are considered a part) or north into the Arctic Ocean.

The Baetic Cordillera is a mountain system in Spain which includes the Sierra Nevada and the Rock of Gibraltar.
6. Costa Rica has four relatively active volcanoes, all located in the Central Range. What is the name of Costa Rica's highest volcano?

Answer: Irazu

The diagram shows a cross-section of the relevant part of the Central Range. All of these volcanoes either have erupted since European colonization, or exhibit ongoing signs of fumarole activity - geysers, thermal springs, steam vents, etc. The highest of them is Irazu, with a height of 3432 m (11,260 ft).

Its size and frequent eruptions (the most recent in 1963-1965), along with the extensive damage they cause, have led to its nickname of "El Coloso" (The Colossus). Irazu has five craters, one of which contains the popular tourist destination of a green crater lake called Diego de la Haya.

The peak is also used for television transmitters, a 20th century development.
7. What is the English language translation of the first line of the Costa Rican national anthem, "Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera"?

Answer: Noble homeland, your beautiful flag

The first verse in its entirety translates as:

"Noble homeland, your beautiful flag / Expression of your life it gives us: / Under the limpid blue of your skies, / Peace reigns, white and pure".

The red, white and blue colors of the flag were inspired by the colors of the French flag. The original design was made by Pacifica Fernandez, the wife of Costa Rica's first president when the country separated from the Federated Republic of Central America in 1848. The coat of arms was added in 1906. As is the case for many national flags, the colors are said to represent a variety of things (possibly in the hope that everyone will find something in the list with which they can identify). The blue is said to stand for the skies overhead, idealism, opportunities and perseverance - concepts which can be related with a bit of imagination. The white represents peace, wisdom and happiness, while the red is said to remind us of the contrasting concepts of the blood spilled in defense of the country and the warm and generous spirit of the people of Costa Rica.
8. This 1863 Costa Rican postage stamp shows the original coat of arms designed by Pacifica Fernandez, the wife of Costa Rica's first president, Jose Marķa Castro Madriz. One of the main differences between this coat of arms and the current one (shown in the next question) lies in the number of stars - this has five stars, the current one has seven. What is the reason for this difference?

Answer: Two new provinces have been added since 1848.

In 1848, neither Limon nor Puntarenas was a province, so the five stars represented the five provinces at that time. In 1906 the design was revised to remove some of the military symbolism on the original design. In 1964 the two extra stars were added.
9. The description of the Costa Rican coat of arms includes "All surrounded by a golden frame representing the golden bead (_____)." Which agricultural product, one of the mainstays of Costa Rica's economy in the 19th and 20th centuries, is being alluded to?

Answer: Coffee

The first coffee plantations in Costa Rica were established in the early years of the 19th century. By the time of independence in the middle of the century, coffee exports to Europe were the country's major source of income. It remained an economic mainstay, although banana production increased dramatically in the 20th century, providing an economic rival.

In the 21st century Costa Rica is developing ecotourism as a source of income, trading on the nation's richly varied wildlife. Costa Rica has 26 national parks and over 150 other protected areas, comprising over a quarter of the country's land and water areas.
10. The national animal of Costa Rica is the Odocoileus virginianus truei, shown here. By what name is this animal more commonly called?

Answer: White-tailed deer

While the white-tailed deer is more commonly associated with North America, especially the eastern part of the United States, there are a number of subspecies found as far south as Peru. The Central American white-tailed deer, a female of which is pictured here, is found primarily in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The other options are among the national animal symbols of Mexico.

The national bird of Costa Rica is the clay-colored thrush, which can be found between southern Texas and northern Colombia. The national flower is a type of orchid called 'Guarianthe skinneri', the national tree is the Guanacaste, and the national instrument is the marimba, which resembles a xylophone.
Source: Author looney_tunes

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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