The first answer is San José.
The question says: _____ is the capital of Costa Rica. In addition to being the country's capital, San José is also Costa Rica's largest city. It was founded in 1738 by a religious order, which is why the city was named after a saint (Saint Joseph).
The second answer is el colón costarricense.
The question says: The national currency of Costa Rica is ____. So, the Costa Rican colón can be compared to the US dollar, or the Mexican peso, for example. 1 US dollar is the equivalent to about 567 Costa Rican colónes.
The third answer is Alajuela.
The question says: In addition to San José, ___ is an important city in Costa Rica. Alajuela is the 4th largest city in Costa Rica. Other important cities include Puerto Limón and San Francisco (the second and third largest cities, respectively).
The fourth answer is los parques nacionales (national parks).
The question says: ____ occupy 12 percent of Costa Rica's land. Altogether, there are 39 parks throughout the country that are divided into 9 sections. One of the most popular parks is Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
The fifth answer is la biodiversidad (biodiversity).
The question says: National parks were established to protect ____ of the country. Biodiversity refers to the various climates and species that exist in Costa Rica. For example, the parks protect rainforests, volcanoes, etc.
The sixth answer is los parques nacionales (national parks).
The question says: Ecotourists visit ____ to see waterfalls, mountains, exotic plants, and animals. This question ties into the definition of biodiversity from the previous answer, as there are clearly a plethora of landscapes and wildlife in Costa Rica.
The seventh answer is de américa central (in Central America).
The question says: Costa Rica was the first country ___ to develop the coffee industry. Coffee did not originate in Costa Rica, but was brought there in the late 1700s. Since the 1820s, coffee has been one of the most important economic factors in Costa Rica.
The eighth answer is el cultivo de café (coffee cultivation).
The question says: Currently, more than 50,000 Costa Ricans work in _____. Since the coffee industry is so large, it is no surprise that so much of the country's population works in its cultivation process (50,000 out of 4.8 million).
The ninth answer is la pena de muerte (the death penalty) y el ejército (the military).
The question says: Costa Rica eliminated _____. Costa Rica abolished the death penalty, or capital punishment, in 1877, and the army in 1948. In regard to the latter, the president of Costa Rica at the time (José Figueres Ferrer) abolished the military after triumphing in the country's civil war earlier that year.
