Costa

Costa, Isaäc da, 1798-1860, Dutch poet and historian, b. Amsterdam, of an aristocratic Sephardic Jewish family. Deeply influenced by Bilderdijk, he entered (1822) the Reformed Church, and much of his poetry is fervently Christian. Da Costa's period of poetic maturity is placed between the publication of his political poem Vijf-en-twintig Jaren [twenty-five years] in 1849, which revealed unusual social consciousness, and the appearance of the narrative poem De Slag bij Nieuwpoort [the battle of Nieuport] in 1859. He was a distinguished scholar in Protestant biblical theology and the classics. His work on Jewish history was translated into English as Israel and the Gentiles (1855).

Costa, Lorenzo, 1460-1535, Italian painter of the Ferrarese and Bolognese schools. Trained in the manner of such painters as Tura and Cossa, he modified the strident Ferrarese style when he became a partner of Francia. Among his paintings are the Madonna and Child with the Bentivoglio Family and the Triumphs of Petrarch in San Giacomo Maggiore, the Madonna with Saints in San Petronio, and the Madonna in San Giovanni in Monte, all in Bologna. His Three Saints is in the Metropolitan Museum.

Costa, Lúcio, 1902-98, As the principal designer of the city of Brasília (1957), Costa is known for his use of reinforced concrete in designs that combine traditional and modern forms. In Rio de Janeiro, the block of apartments in Guinle Park (1948-54) typifies his streamlined work. The Ministry of Education and Health (1937-42) exhibits his understanding of the effect of climatic considerations on architectural design.

officially Republic of Costa Rica

Country, Central America. Area: 19,730 sq mi (51,100 sq km). Population (2006 est.): 4,274,000. Capital: San José. Most of the people are of Spanish ancestry or are mestizos. Language: Spanish (official). Religion: Christianity (predominantly Roman Catholic [official]; also Protestant, other Christians). Currency: colón. Costa Rica's Pacific coast rises abruptly into central highlands and a volcanic mountain chain that forms the backbone of the country and descends gradually to the Caribbean coastal plain. The climate ranges from temperate to tropical, and the wide variety of plants and animals includes species found in both North America and South America. The developing market economy is largely based on coffee, pineapple, and banana exports. Sugar is another significant cash crop, and beef is also important. Costa Rica is a multiparty republic with one legislative house; the head of state and government is the president. Christopher Columbus landed in what is now Costa Rica in 1502, in an area inhabited by a number of small independent Indian tribes. These peoples were not easily dominated by European adventurers who followed, and it took some 60 years for the Spaniards to establish a permanent settlement there. Ignored by the Spanish crown because of its lack of mineral wealth, the colony grew slowly. Coffee exports and the construction of a rail line improved its economy in the 19th century. It joined the short-lived Mexican Empire in 1821, was a member of the United Provinces of Central America (1823–38), and adopted a constitution in 1871. In 1890 Costa Ricans held what is considered the first free and honest election in Central America, beginning a tradition of democracy for which Costa Rica is renowned. In 1987 Pres. Oscar Arias Sánchez was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for his Central American peace plan. In the early 21st century many Costa Ricans looked to increasingly free trade with the United States as a solution to the country's economic woes.

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Costa may refer to:

• Costa (surname), including origin of the name and people sharing the surname
• Costa, Rib, from Latin costae
• Costa, central strand of a bryophyte leaf or thallus
• Costa, leading edge of the forewing in Lepidoptera and other winged insects
• Costa Book Awards, formerly the Whitbread Book Award, a literary award in the United Kingdom
• Costa Coffee, a British coffee shop chain
• Costa Cruises, a leading cruise company in Europe
• Costa Gavras, a Greek-French filmmaker
• Costa!, a 2001 Dutch film from BNN

Places:

• Costa, Haute-Corse, a commune on the island of Corsica
• Costa, Mozambique
• Costa Head, a prominent headland in Scotland
• Costa, Orkney Islands, Scotland
• Costa, Portugal, a parish in the district of Guimarães, Portugal
• Costa, Spain, a comarca of the province of Huelva, Spain

Other

• Costa, animated series

See also

• Costas, a name of Greek origin
• The Costas, coastal holiday resorts of Spain