On Thursday, Costa Rica commemorates the 200th anniversary of Guanacaste Territory Annexation Day, also known as Guanacaste Day.

Most public institutions, including banks, ministries, institutes, universities, clinics, schools, and embassies among others, close on July 25 to observe the holiday.

The motto "De la Patria por Nuestra Voluntad" (or "We are part of the country by our own free will" in English) commemorates how, 200 years ago, the inhabitants of Nicoya territory decided to join Costa Rica, which had just been declared independent.

In his work "El Partido de Nicoya y su integración a Costa Rica," (or The Nicoyan Territories and Their Integration into Costa Rica in English), historian Julio César Jaén-Contreras stated that the territory of Nicoya was added as part of Costa Rica on July 25, 1824. The region is currently known as Guanacaste Province.

The annexation was carried out via a vote in Nicoya. Then, the residents of two regions, Nicoya and Santa Cruz, voted in an open town hall to join Costa Rica.

Nicoya's voluntary act to become a new territory gave additional land, population, natural resources (such as the unique dry forest) and also culturally improved the country, according to the Ministry of Culture.

Gastronomy, music, language, art, architecture and religious traditions are among the various expressions of Guanacaste's cultural heritage.

Guanacaste cuisine includes traditional foods such as pinolillo, torta dulce, rosquillas, perrerreque, yoltamal and arroz de maíz, among others.

Pottery, a tradition of creating ceramic pieces with a Chorotega influence, is regarded as Costa Rica's living legacy. 

Language and specific speech styles among Guanacaste people are cultural expressions; they are not only a component of natural and everyday communication, but also of cultural identity in Costa Rica.

The Quijongo, a traditional instrument in Guanacaste, consists of a two-meter-long pole, a rope stretched from end to end, a sounding board, and a calabash (jícaro). The Quijongo and marimba are two of traditional ethnic instruments in the country.

Guanacaste's architectural legacy includes ancient buildings that are still prevailing. One of these is Nicoya's San Blas Church, which was built nearly 500 years ago (1522-1544) and was designated a building of Historical-Architectural Heritage in 1995.

Currently, Guanacaste is a prominent tourism destination. The province features many five-star hotels, its own Daniel Oduber International Airport, numerous commercial hubs, and significant tourism development centers around the beaches of Papagayo, Coco, Flamingo, Conchal, and Tamarindo.