Costa Rica is a Central American country whose culture is a diverse mixture of African, European and native elements. Though its music has achieved little international renown, Costa Rican popular music genres include an indigenous calypso scene which is distinct from the more widely-known Trinidadian calypso sound, as well as a thriving disco audience that supports nightclubs in cities like San Jose. American and British rock and roll and pop are popular among the youth, while dance-oriented genres like soca, salsa, merengue, marcado, lambada and cumbia are also popular. Mexican music is very popular among elder people and some people in the countryside. During the middle years of the 20th century, Costa Rica was exposed to much Mexican cultural influence.
Costa Rica's night life buzzes with live music that ranges from the traditional Latin rhythms to classical symphonies at the spectacular National Theater to pop music at the local discotheques. Like many Latin American countries, the Africa-derived, xylophone-style instrument, the marimba, is the foundation of native music in Costa Rica. On the Atlantic coast, the air is filled with the sounds of steel drums, reggae beats, and other instruments of the Caribbean
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Art and Culture 
