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Published on
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Costa
Ricans are celebrating the country’s 205th
Independence Day on Sept. 15, an important
occasion that brings together Costa Rican
citizens, foreign residents and
tourists.
The
holiday commemorates the signing of the
Act of Independence of Central America on
Sept. 15, 1821. At the time, the Captaincy
General of Guatemala, which included
Guatemala, Chiapas, Comayagua, San
Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica,
declared independence from Spain.
For
foreigners living in Costa Rica, learning
about the country’s culture and national
symbols can be an important part of
understanding their adopted home.
According
to the Ministry of Culture, Costa Rica’s
national symbols represent the country’s
culture, history, flora and fauna. They
include national symbols that
have been
designated over the years, from the
national anthem and flag to traditional
foods, wildlife, architecture and
cultural traditions.
Here
is a look at Costa Rica’s national
symbols:
The National Anthem (Himno Nacional de
Costa Rica)
was created by Manuel María Gutiérrez
(1829-1887) in 1852. Gutiérrez was
the director of the
Marching Band at the time. The anthem was
declared a national symbol in 1949.
The
Costa Rican
flag was designed when Costa Rica became a
sovereign nation in September 1848. The flag consists
of five horizontal stripes. Blue
dominates the first and fifth stripes,
while white dominates the second and
fourth. In the center, a red stripe is
twice the width of each of the other
four stripes. The National Emblem,
included on the flag, was designated a
national symbol in 1949.
The
Guanacaste tree (Enterolobium
cyclocarpum) is Costa Rica’s
national tree. Native to tropical
regions of the Americas, it was declared
a national symbol in 1959. The tree is
known for its enormous size, frequently
rounded crown and unusually shaped
seed pods. It grows abundantly
throughout Costa Rica, particularly in
Guanacaste Province.
The
yigüirro, or clay-colored
thrush (Turdus
grayi), is Costa Rica’s
national bird. The species can be found in North America
as far north as South Texas and as far
south as northern Colombia in South America. It was designated
a national symbol in 1977 because of its
powerful, melodic song, which is
traditionally associated with the
beginning of the rainy season.
The Costa
Rican ox cart (carreta
típica costarricense) and the boyero,
the person who steers the ox cart, were designated
the country’s work symbol in
1988. During the
colonial period, ox carts were used to
transport sugar cane,
tobacco and coffee. The carts played
an important role in the development of Costa Rica’s
agricultural industry. Today, the ox
cart is one of the most recognizable
examples of traditional Costa Rican
craftsmanship.
In 1995, the
white-tailed deer (Odocoileus
virginianus) was designated
Costa Rica’s national wildlife
symbol. The species can also be found on the back of
the Costa Rican 1,000-colón banknote.
In 1996, the
marimba was designated Costa Rica’s national musical
instrument. It is
the instrument most closely associated
with Costa Rica’s traditional
celebrations and events. The techniques
used to construct marimbas have been
passed down from generation to
generation through tradition. 
In
2014, the manatee
(Trichechus)
was designated Costa Rica’s national
symbol of marine
biodiversity. The
decision was made at the initiative of
two
first-grade students who
were
concerned about the
conservation of
natural resources in
Costa Rica.
The
pre-Columbian Indigenous spheres
of Diquís were designated a national
symbol in
connection with
their cultural and historical
importance. In 2014, UNESCO designated
the collection of pre-Columbian
cacical communities featuring the
famous stone spheres of Diquís as a
World Heritage Site. The spheres are
among Costa Rica’s most important
archaeological and cultural treasures.
In
2018, the National Theater
was designated a national symbol as
one of the country’s most significant
historic buildings and a major
achievement of its architectural
heritage. Construction of
the theater
began in 1891. The original text
states that the theater was finished
in 1987.
In
2020, Costa Rican coffee
was designated a national symbol
representing economic, social and
cultural development. Throughout the
country’s history, coffee has been
known as Costa Rica’s “golden seed.”
The natural resource has long played
an important role in both the national
and local economies.
In
2021, the sloth
became a national wildlife symbol as part
of efforts to protect the species and its
habitat. Costa Rica is home to two sloth
species: the two-toed sloth (Choloepus
hoffmanni)
and the three-toed sloth (Bradypus
variegatus).
Their names are
associated with
their characteristically slow movements.
In
October 2022, mascaradas
were
designated a national symbol.
Costa Ricans experience these traditional
celebrations in communities throughout the
country, featuring marimba music, dancing,
masks and an
abundance of color. Mascaradas are
especially associated with local festivals
and community celebrations and are an
important part of Costa Rica’s cultural
identity.
Casa de Bahareques, or traditional bahareque houses, have been used since pre-Columbian times by Indigenous populations and were later adapted during Costa Rica’s colonial and 19th-century periods. Traditional adobe and bahareque houses were officially declared a national symbol of Costa Rica in early 2025 to honor the country’s rural architectural heritage. Bahareque is a traditional construction technique that uses a framework of interwoven sticks, reeds or cane covered with mud or clay.
The
“El
Duelo de la Patria,” the
nation's mourning march
became an official national symbol of
Costa Rica’s musical culture in 2026. The
march was composed in 1882 by prominent
Costa Rican musician Rafael Chávez Torres.
Chávez Torres originally wrote the piece
for the funeral services of former Costa
Rican president and general Tomás Guardia
Gutiérrez, who died in July 1882. For more
than a century, “El Duelo de la Patria”
has been deeply woven into Costa Rica’s
traditions. It
is
widely recognized
by Costa Ricans as
the definitive soundtrack of Good Friday
processions throughout the country.
Costa
Rica’s national symbols provide a way to
understand the country beyond its
landscapes and tourism attractions. They
reflect the people, traditions, history,
wildlife, agriculture, architecture and
cultural heritage that have helped shape
the nation.
The
Ministry of Culture is the Costa Rican
government department responsible for
directing national policies involving art,
culture, heritage and youth development.
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