"Ticos", as Costa Ricans are known are famous for being hospitable, and are quite happy to live up to their reputation. They are a polite, well educated and gregarious people, who are quick with a handshake and a smile. They are well aware that their country is a special place, and they go out of their way to accommodate visitors, pointing them in the right direction when they get lost, explaining things that might seem foreign to a foreigner, and helping make their stay as enjoyable as possible.
Ticos are a fairly mixed bunch. Though the majority of the country's 3.3 million inhabitants are the descendants of Spanish immigrants, many families originated from other parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and, of course, Central America. You may be surprised by the number of fair-skinned people you'll see in the country, especially in the Central Valley. In the lowlands, more people are mestizo that is mixture of European and Indigenous blood whereas the majority along the Caribbean coast are of African lineage, and much of the Talamanca Mountain Range is inhabited by full-blooded Indians of various tribes.
It has been said the Ticos are their nation's greatest asset, and once you've experienced their friendliness and spontaneity, you'll no doubt agree.
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People and Society 
