Population: 333,000 (including suburbs:1.3 million)

Elevation: 3,773 feet

People: 96% Spanish descent, 2% African descent, 1% indigenous Indians, 1% Chinese

Language: Spanish, Creole English and Indian dialects

Religion: 85% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant

Government: Democracy

Hospital: Clinica Biblica: Calle Central y Calle Primera, Avenida 14 506.257.5252

Emergency Contacts:

Ambulance: 911 or 128

Police: 911 or 127

Fire: 911, 118, or 223.8055

Time Zone: GMT/UTC minus 6 hours. this translates to being the same as Central Standard Time. When it is noon in New York City, it is 11:00am in San José.

In San José the nights are cool and the days warm. Average Temperatures (In Fahrenheit): High Low January - March 79F 58F April - June 80F 62F July - September 79F 61F October - December 77F 60F

Rainfall: January - 0.6 February - 0.2 March - 0.8 April - 1.8 May - 9.0 June - 9.5 July - 8.3 August - 9.5 September - 12.0 October - 11.8 November - 5.7 December - 1.6

Electricity: 110V, 60 Hz

Weights & measures: Metric

National and Local Holidays: Jan. 1 - New Year's Day Jan.15 - Martin Luther King's Birthday Feb. 19 - President's Day Apr. 11 - Juan Santamaria Apr. 12 - Holy Thursday Apr. 13 - Good Friday May 1 - Labor Day (Costa Rica) May 28 - Memorial Day Jul. 4 - Independence Day (US) Jul. 25 - Annexation of Guanacaste Aug. 2 - Our Lady of Los Angeles Aug. 15 - Assumption Day (Mother's Day) Sept. 3 - Labor Day (US) Oct. 8 - Columbus Day Oct. 15 - Cultures Day Nov. 12 - Veteran's Day Nov. 22 - Thanksgiving Day Dec. 25 - Christmas Day

Telephone: Country Code 506 . City codes not required. All numbers have 7 digits.

E Mail: There is a company that offers e-mail services in downtown San José. Kitcom is two blocks north of the Plaza de la Cultura in the OTEC building. RACSA, a subsidiary of the national Communications Company, ICE, provides full access to the WWW, Telnet, Email and News groups. The price is per month for 25 hours of on-line time. Additional time can be purchased per hour.

Passports & Visas: A valid passport is required to enter Costa Rica. There is no visa requirement for US tourists, who can enter for stays of up to 90 days. Additional information on entry requirements may be obtained from the Consular Section of the Embassy of Costa Rica at 2114 S Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 328-6628.

Banking: Open weekdays 9:00 - 3:00. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. All major credit cards are accepted in almost all hotels, stores, restaurants and car rental agencies. It is increasingly easy to find ATMs, though some banks, like branches of Banco Nacional, accept cards held by their customers only.

Tipping: You don't usually need to bother with tipping at restaurants, as most add a 10% tip (plus 15% tax) to the bill.

Getting There & Away: International flights arrive at San José's Juan Santamaria international There are good connections to US and Canadian cities and several Latin and South American countries.. There is a departure tax of around US$17 on international flights (Have $20 available)

It's possible to travel overland to Costa Rica from the USA, crossing Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The nearest US town is Brownsville, Texas, 2480mi away. Overlanders can either catch a series of public buses (these are not known for comfort and may not be modern or driven by professionals.) or drive their own car.

Getting Around: There are two domestic airlines: SANSA and Travelair. Demand for seats is high, so try to book as far in advance as possible.

Taxis: Before entering the taxi, please check the following: Prices from San Jose to the airport vary s and the meter is not used so establish the price before leaving.

Buses: Bus service throughout San Jose and all over Costa Rica is good, and can be an economical and interesting way to see the country. For bus schedules consult the ICT tourist office at Plaza de la Cultura in San Jose. Also if you are staying at any lodging facility the bilingual staff will be happy to assist you. All buses have their fare prices written on placards above the windshield, inside the bus.

Rental Cars: Most rental car agencies require a credit card.