National Symbols of Costa Rica

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Costa Rica has 16 national symbols, among them the oldest are the Flag and the Shield since the Republic of Costa Rica was founded in 1848. Then, in 1852, it was written and performed for the first time the National Anthem which was definitively declared official in 1949.

In 1939 the Guaria Morada was chosen as the national flower. In 1959 the Guanacaste tree was crowned the national tree, in 1977 the Yigüirro was made official as the national bird as an initiative for its conservation.

In 1988, the typical cart, of historical and cultural importance for the country, became a national symbol of work. In 1995, to encourage its conservation, the White-tailed Deer was chosen as a symbol of national fauna, and the following year, the Marimba became a symbol of culture and tradition as a way of promoting the rescue of national folklore.

The Central American Torch of Independence was the first national symbol declared in the 21st century, in 2002, while Los Crestones hill was the first site in the national geography to be declared as a symbol.

In 2014, the Manatee of the Caribbean, in danger of extinction, was the first national symbol to emerge from a popular initiative, thanks to the impulse of a school in the province of Limón, and once again, as a way to preserve the species.

The Pre-Columbian Stone Spheres of the Diquís region were declared in 2014 to encourage the rescue of the heritage of indigenous peoples. In 2018 the National Theater of Costa Rica was chosen as a national symbol of Historical Architectural Heritage and Cultural Freedom.

Since 2020, Coffee was declared national symbols due to its historical and economic importance in the economic, social and cultural development of Costa Rica, the Sloth Bear has been an animal for years that Costa Rica is identified in the world imagination, in addition to promoting its conservation and its habitat, and with the aim of using its image to promote tourism in the country, the Morpho Butterfly strong>for its great presence in Costa Rica representing the great variety of insects and the Traditional Masquerade for its presence in Costa Rican culture.

List of the 15 National Symbols of Costa Rica

1. The National Flag Of Costa Rica
2. The National Shield of Costa Rica
3. The National Anthem of Costa Rica
4. The Guaria Morada (Guarianthe skinneri) national flower of Costa Rica
5. The Guanacaste tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) national tree of Costa Rica
6. The Yigüirro (Turdus grayi) national bird of Costa Rica
7. The Typical Cart, symbol of work
8. The White-tailed Deer, symbol of the national fauna
9. The Marimba, symbol of national culture and tradition
10. The Torch of Independence, symbol of freedom
11. CerroLos Crestones, symbol of natural wealth
12. The Manatee, national symbol of the country’s marine fauna
13. The Stone Spheres, symbol of pre-Columbian culture
14. The National Theatre, a national symbol of historical architectural heritage and cultural freedom
15. The Coffee, symbol of economic, social and cultural development
16. The Sloth Bear, symbol of wildlife

World Heritage Site

Four of the national symbols of Costa Rica are World Heritage Sites: as intangible cultural heritage, the typical cart, the Stone Spheres and the Marimba, the latter shared with Guatemala , Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador; and Los Crestones hill as part of the Talamanca Mountain Range Reserve/La Amistad International Park, shared with Panama, as one of the three sites in the country declared as World Heritage Sites in the category of natural assets.

Source: Wikipedia

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