Topography

A series of volcanic mountain chains runs from the Nicaraguan border to the Panamanian border, splitting the country in two. With an abundance of beaches, its coasts stretch from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. There are seven provinces that make up the country: San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, Cartago, Guanacaste and Limón. The capital, San José, is in the province of the same name, which is the most densely populated of all the provinces. There are approximately 3.6 million people whose native language is Spanish and on the Caribbean coast, many Caribbean blacks speak a lively dialect of English known as Creole.