National Symbols

This historic and popular musical instrument is an emblem that represents and dignified art and culture of the people of Costa Rica, a peaceful country, which has prevailed since the annexation of Guanacaste to Costa Rica.

As the story goes, the Marimba, which has been around for centuries in Mesoamerica, came to this country from Guatemala in the late XVIII century, during colonial times, believed that through the Franciscans, it was disseminated on the region of Guanacaste and the Central Valley. Through it, Costa Rican people can identify as members of a community or town, such as Guanacaste, which represents an authentic folklore.

The interest to declare the Marimba as a national symbol, stems from the fact that it was gradually displaced, devalued and even despised, to even be in danger of disappearing, in the presence of new and modern musical instruments, which occurred during the government of Jose Maria Figueres Olsen, on September 3rd, 1996, by Decree No. 25114-C published in La Gaceta No. 167, which states the Marimba as national musical instrument, and is considered a symbol of culture and tradition.

The Marimba has been linked historically to the whole social and cultural task of Costa Rica, so it is in religious activities and folk festivals, especially accompanying folk dances, giving boost to the show.

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The Independence Torch was declared a national symbol on September 14th, 2005 under the administration of Dr. Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, as represention of the ideal of freedom and independence that connects Costa Rica with their brother countries of Central America, according to the decree MEP No.32647-C, signing in Cartago city. The decision to declare the Independence Torch as a national symbol seeks to express the intention that the light of that torch always provided a free and sovereign country.

By way of history, from 1821, the year of the independence of the Central American countries, the idependencia was held in particular way in each country. Before such circumstances, in 1964 the then Minister of Education of Costa Rica, Mr. Ismael A. Vargas, took a meeting of Ministers of Public Education held in Managua, Nicaragua, where he gave his colleagues a project to make a joint celebration of all Central American countries to commemorate the momentous historical event.

This project was devised by Professor Alfredo Cruz Bolaños, who then served as General Director of Sports in Costa Rica, which was called Independence Torch Run, which would run all Central American countries to emulate the path of that extraordinary mail that left from Guatemala in 1821 and ended in Costa Rica, same that brought the Independence news.

At that meeting, the initiative was welcomed and the Ministers instructed the Costa Rican chief as the coordinator of the celebration. The minister delegated Professor Cruz Bolanos, who worked one week in each of the Central American countries, met with collaborators, did tested for feasibility, checked the measurements of ground to cover, the number of schools and the number of students who participate, in addition, determined the type of light that would be used and official ceremonies at each border.

This important effort resulted in a tradition where every year since 1964, as in September 1821, is performed the Torch run – fire of independence, in all corners of the isthmus, starting in Guatemala and ending in Costa Rica, specifically in Cartago city, former capital of Costa Rica, being the Torch carried in the hands of children and young students, as representing the ideal of freedom and independence of the Central American countries.

This has become entrenched in the patriotic fervor of the Central American countries to become a significant civic event and has revealed the tenacious work of thousands of Costa Rican students who each year participate in it. The Law project seeking the declaration of the Torch as a national symbol, meant that this is paying homage to Professor Alfredo Cruz Bolanos, chief manager of this act that we enjoy today. The Independence Torch, like our flag and our national anthem is a national symbol of freedom and representative Costa Rican idiosyncrasy.

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The Crestones Hills of the Chirripo National Park were declared as a national symbol on April 6th, 2011, by the Legislative Commission II (Comisión con Potestad Legislativa Plena II), under the law project No. 17437, as a symbol of the natural wealth of Costa Rica, in order to raise awareness of the natural and economic value that can benefit the country when promoting its natural beauty.

This initiative was launched in July 2009, by the then Liberal Deputy Edine von Herold, and then led by the PAC Deputy Gustavo Arias Navarro, as not only an example of the variety of tourism opportunities that Costa Rica offers, but also as part of the nation’s identity and to represent the richness and conservation efforts that have been achieved as a country. The same was sanctioned by the president Chinchilla and his minister Teofilo de la Torre on April 28th, 2011, and was published in the official newspaper La Gaceta under Law No. 8943 that declared it as such until September 5th, 2011.

Los Crestones hills were formed by a folding process of the crust, resembling gigantic and impressive “fingers” of rock up to 60 m (197ft) high, consisting of igneous material. One of the most outstanding formations is the “Aguja” (the needle), which is over 60 m (197ft) high. From that point, visitors can see the magnitude of the landscape that surrounds the southern region of the country, particularly, Caño Island, the breathtaking mountains of the cordillera, like the Chirripo Hill, the Ventisqueros Hill, as well as the Sabana de Los Leones (Sabana of the lions), The El General Valley, an overview of the Pacific Ocean and it’s also an excellent natural observatory, rich in landscapes and incredible sunsets. Crestones Hills are located at 3,720 m (12,204ft) high in the Talamanca Cordillera, one of the longest in the country, with about 190 km (118 miles) in length, specifically in the Chirripo National Park, declared World Heritage by UNESCO and this protected area is part of the International Biosphere Reserve La Amistad-Pacific Conservation Area, that Costa Rica shares with Panama.

This is the first time that a tourist site is declared as a national symbol. That designation has been made just with flora and fauna of the country, or items like the typical oxcart and the independence torch. This designation was because it also empowers public institutions to promote this destination as a “country brand”. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is authorized to incorporate it into their educational programs linking this symbol as a central focus of civic education as a means of transmitting knowledge, values, customs and cultural, moral and behavioral awareness to the student.

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Declared national symbol during the presidency of Luis Guillermo Solís, on July 15th, 2014, through Law No. 17984. The project was presented by a group of students from the Barrio Limoncito School in the province of Limon and driven by Gerardo Vargas, a Limon legislature, so that national authorities promote conservation policies of this species.

In Costa Rica, manatees are concentrated throughout the Caribbean (Sixaola River, Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, Pacuare River lagoons, Tortuguero National Park lagoons and Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge), where largest populations are found in freshwater systems in key protected areas within the Tortuguero Conservation Area. Its main threat is the transit of boats with engines that mobilize tourists on the Tortuguero canals, deforestation, poor research and contamination of waterways.

This law also declares manatee sanctuaries as places of absolute protection and income to these sites will be only for scientific purposes or for the control, inspection and monitoring by the relevant authorities.

The word “manatee” in the Caribbean Indian language, means “with breasts.” Its scientific name comes from the Latin word Trichechus, referring to the small hairs or bristles scattered over his body; and manatus comes from the Greek word μανάτος (manatus), which refers to the common characteristic of mammals nurse their breeding.

The Manatee or Sea Cow (Trichechus manatus) is a sirenio specie of the Trichechidae family living from the Gulf of Mexico to the mouth of the Amazon River. It is a big animal that has a fish-fin with a rounded terminal spatula-shaped appearance. Its skin is finely wrinkled, with five centimeters thick, usually covered by algae and small molluscs. The head widens and joins without any neck or shoulders or any part at the end of his body. Manatees have flexible forelegs and as an oar, or fins, which are used to help the scroll on the bottom, scratch, touch and even to embrace other manatees, to move food in and facilitate the cleaning of their mouths. They are gentle herbivores that spend most of their time searching for and ingesting coastal seabed and shallow water plants. Manatees live in both sweet and salty waters near the coast.

Like other manatees, is a species fully adapted to aquatic life. The distribution of fur on their body is weak, which prevents the accumulation of algae on their skin. Is about 3 meters long, and weighs between 400 and 600 kilograms, being females generally larger than males. Larger Manatees can weigh up to 1,500 kilograms and measure up to 4.6 meters. The skin color can vary from gray to brown. Their fins have 3 or 4 nails, used to keep the food when foraging.

Although females are usually solitary creatures, form mating herds while in estrus. Most females breeding successfully between the ages of seven and nine years, while capable of playing from the age of four. The gestation period is twelve to fourteen months. Usually gives birth to one baby, but rarely are born two. At birth, on average weighs 35 kg and measures 90 to 120 cm long and depends entirely on their mother, so she stays with it at least 2 years.

The males go around the female herds when ready to conceive, but not contribute to any parental brood care. Generally, females produce one breeding every 2-5 years. Therefore, manatees that survive to adulthood have an average of no more than play five to seven babies between the ages of 20 and 26. They can live up to 60 years in a wild environment, but their life expectancy is lower.