Some Background Information

With 19 days until the venturers arrive at field base, it would perhaps be helpful of me to provide some interesting facts on the two magnificent countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua....only some of which you may find useful (I love Google).

Costa Rica

Population: 4.64million

Total Area: 51,100kmsq

Where? : Sandwiched between Nicaragua and Panama on the Central American isthmus

 

Predominant Language: Spanish (97%), start brushing up!

Interesting Facts:

-         - Costa Rica aims to be carbon-neutral by 2021 (the world’s first).

-         -Limes are lemons. (struggle to get my head round this one)

-         - 25% of its land area made up by National Parks and Environmental Protection Areas.

-          -Top of the New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index (index of well-being and environmental impact). Great stuff.

Nicaragua

Population: 5.82 million

Total Area: 130,370kmsq (largest in Central America)

Where? : Costa Rica’s neighbour to the north.

Predominant Language: You guessed it, Spanish (96%)

Interesting Facts:

-          -Lake Nicaragua is not only Central America’s largest freshwater lake, but it is also home to Ometepe, the world’s largest volcanic island inside a freshwater lake.

-          -86 of the 88 constellations can be observed from Nicaragua.

-          -Daylight saving time is named after the current ruler or political party, therefore 2012’s daylight saving time will be called Sandinista time after the political party of top man Daniel Ortega.  Line that fact up for any dinner parties you may be attending on the 25^th March.

Remember knowledge is power friends. I'll be back soon with more from field base and some sneak peeks into some of Expedition 12B’s projects.