THE COSTA RICA FLAGFREEDOM AND PURA VIDA
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The Costa Rica flag is nearly as old as the Republic of Costa Rica itself. Designed by Sra. Pacífica Fernández Oreamuno, wife of the Republic’s first president, it was officially adopted as the national flag in September 1848. It has remained so, with very minor changes, ever since.
For 160 Years the Costa Rica Flag Has Stood for Freedom
One of the reasons Americans and Europeans feel at home when they take a Costa Rica vacation is that Costa Rica people are like us: they cherish freedom. They insist on it.That insistence has been embodied in its flag through its colors: red symbolizing the bloodshed for freedom, white for peace, blue for ample opportunities and religious ideals.
But, the flag is uniquely Costa Rican: it bears a coat of arms, not of a ruling family but of three volcanoes!
Costa Rica doesn’t just play lip-service to peace. It abolished its army long ago. The color white on its flag isn’t just the ideal of this nation. It’s a commitment.
Not just here. Wherever they can help, Costa Ricans work for peace. Indeed, the pursuit of peace is so strong here that Oscar Arias, its recent president, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing to an end the bitter and bloody civil war in Nicaragua.
When Mr. Arias' term ended, he gracefully gave way to Laura Chinchilla, the country's first woman President, who was elected in a landslide.
Not bad for a tiny country. Big ideals don’t require a big country.
In a hemisphere dominated by tyrants and despots, Costa Rica chose democracy. It's an interesting part of Costa Rica history, click to read
For 160 Years the Flag of Costa Rica has Embodied the Essence of Costa Rica
Look at the red color again. In addition to symbolizing the blood lost for freedom, it stands for the warmth of the people and their generosity and vibrancy. When you vacation here, you’ll feel that warmth and generosity for yourself . It’s everywhere.Now look at the blue color a second time. Besides representing freedom for religious and spiritual ideals, the color stands for the sky, ample opportunities, intellectual thinking, and infinite eternity. Worthy goals for any country but lived day-by-day by Costa Ricans. Universal education is guaranteed in its Constitution and there’s a 96% literacy rate here. To be sure, inequities in income remain in this tiny country but its culture is extraordinarily egalitarian.
In addition to peace, the color white on the Costa Rica flag symbolizes happiness, wisdom, power and beauty of the sky, clear thinking, and the driving forces of initiatives.
Happiness (Pura Vida!) is a way of life here and, while other nations exploited their precious resources, Costa Ricans have the wisdom to preserve over 25% of the country for parks and nature reserves. So strongly do they feel about their environment, oil drilling isn't even permitted far off their shores.
Indeed, Costa Rica is #3 on the
World's Environmental Index, click
When they're inaugurated, Costa Rican presidents wear a sash of the Costa Rica flag to symbolize commitment to its ideals.
It's tradition.
And, the people demand it (not the sash---the commitment to freedom).
It's flag is wrapped in Costa Rica history.
Pura Vida!
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