Guanacaste
is a province of Costa Rica. The Guanacaste province belonged
to Nicaragua during the Colonial period. It wasn't until
after the nations of Central America gained independence
from Spain that it was annexed and incorporated to Cost
Rica on July 24, 1825. The government recognizes this date
as a National holiday even though the boundary lines weren't
changed until 1858.
Guanacaste is located in the northwestern part of the country,
along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. To the north it borders
Nicaragua. To the east is the Alajuela Province, and to
the southeast is the Puntarenas Province. Guanacaste's capital
is Liberia. The province covers an area of 10,141 km²,
and, as of 2000, had a population of 264,238. It is the
most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Costa Rica.
Climate
Brahman cattle.Guanacaste's climate and culture are unique
among Costa Rican provinces. The province experiences little
rain and consistent heat from November to April. Tourists
seek out this dry heat during the North American winter
to enjoy the breathtaking Guanacastecan beaches. From May
to October, the climate is similar to that of San José,
consisting of showers daily and moderate temperatures. Guanacaste
is, however, considerably warmer than provinces residing
in higher elevations.
Demographics
Most of the population descends from a mix of Chorotega
Native Americans, Spaniards and sub-Saharan Africans, namely
Bantu slaves. Guanacastecan residents speak a dialect distinct
from the rest of Costa Rica. As in Nicaragua and Costa Rica,
Guanacastecans use the usted conjugation upon initial meetings,
instead of tú, but once they have established a friendship,
Guanacastecans use the vos conjugation. The Guanacaste culture
has been successfully integrated into the mainstream culture;
amongst the main elements are their music,literature (folklore),
musical instruments, bullfighting and religious events.
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