The flag Before Costa Rica held it's actual flag, three different flags represented the country: the Independent Provincial flag (1823), the Joined Provinces of Central America Flag (1824 to 1840) and the Flag of the Free State of Costa Rica from 1840 until September 29, 1848 when the official flag of the Republic of Costa Rica is declared during the administration of Mr. José María Castro Madriz. Although it has suffered slight modifications, this is basically the flag that we have now. It consists of 05 horizontal stripes: one blue stripe, one white stripe, a double-sized red strip in the middle, and another white and then blue stripe.

    National Flower Costa Rica did not have a National flower until 1937, when for several International gardens one was required and a National Contest to elect one had to be established. To be elected, the flower should be endemic of America, grow easily in all the country and should be present in the different traditions and ways of life of Costa Rica. The orchid Guaria Morada (Cattleya skinneri) won, and elected as National Flower, being the most cultivated orchid in all Costa Rica.

   The shield Our current shield goes back to September 29th, 1848 when the sixth shield of the country was created. Although it suffered three more modifications, the ninth shield is the current and official one. This shield represents the 07 provinces of the country in seven stars, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are divided by the light green mountains of the Mountain Range.

    National Tree Known as "Arbol de Guanacaste" in Spanish or Guanacaste tree in English, the Enterolobium Cyclocarpum was declared National tree in August, 1959. Mr. José Pinaud, the journalist who proposed this tree as the National one, believed it would be a way to honor the people of Guanacaste for their Annexation to Costa Rica in 1825.

   The oxcart The typical Costa Rican oxcart was declared a National symbol during the government of Oscar Arias Sánchez in 1988. These gorgeous bright-colored oxcarts with flashy tones of reds, yellows, and blues were the creation of Costa Rican farmers (campesinos) as their way of transportation, and were pulled by a pair of ox. Nowadays, fine artisans keep making these beautiful oxcarts and can be seen around the country, mostly as souvenirs.

    National Bird Declared as the National Bird on January 3rd 1977 the yigüirro (Clay colored Robin) is a very common bird in the Costa Rican stories and traditions. This bird, whose scientific name is Turdus grayi, is very common in the Meseta Central of the country and since its singing is commonly heard at the beginning of the rainy time, it is popularly referred to as the bird "calling the rains".

   The Anthem Until 1852 Costa Rica did not have a National Hymn. Mr. Juan Rafael Mora, president of Costa Rica at that time, asked Mr. Manuel María Gutiérrez to develop its music and in 1903 Mr. José María Zeledón created the lyrics. Since then, the lyrics of the Anthem have not suffered any modification, and it was declared our Anthem in 1949.