climatic and business considerations, and the latter for business reasons. The general practice of Belize merchants is to stock up for the Easter and Christmas trade, and salesmen should therefore endeavor to visit Belize sufficiently in advance of those holiday seasons to insure timely delivery.

Conditions are not unhealthful in the capital for those who live normal lives, are careful about diet, and guard against mosquitoes, especially at night. Light tropical clothing is generally

worn.

Holidays. New Year's Day; Baron Bliss Day (March 9); Good Friday; Easter Even; Easter Monday; Empire Day (May 24); birthdays of the King and heir apparent (June 9 and April 21); St. George's Cay Day (September 10); Christmas Day; Boxing Day (December 26); Regatta Day (usually December 27).

Legal Time.-Central standard time is observed in British Honduras, but during the period from midnight on the first Saturday in October of every year, until midnight on the second Saturday in the month of February in the following year, local time in the Colony is 30 minutes in advance of central standard time.

Currency. British Honduran currency is based on the United States dollar. Only notes and coins issued in British Honduras are legal tender, although American money circulates interchangeably with that of the Colony. Local coins are the copper cent; silver-bronze 5-cent piece; silver dime, quarter, and half dollar. The paper currency is limited to bills in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 dollars.

Guidebooks. No directories or guidebooks are published in the Colony, but British Honduras is included in such publications as The South American Handbook, published in London, England, by Trade and Travel Publications, Ltd.; and The West Indies Year Book, published by the Canadian Gazette, Ltd., Montreal, Canada.

CHIEF COMMERCIAL CENTER

BELIZE.-Capital of the Colony; largest town and principal port; population, approximately 17,000, or 30 percent of the Colony's total. Located approximately 1,660 miles from New York, 860 miles south of New Orleans, and about midway between New Orleans and the Panama Canal. Several wholesale and retail importers located in Belize distribute general merchandise. An American consulate is located there. Steamers anchor from 1 to 2 miles out, and passengers are taken ashore in small boats. Cargo is lightered to the customs warehouse. Bank.-Royal Bank of Canada.

Hotel.-Palace. Equipped with running water in each room, and beds screened against mosquitoes.

COSTA RICA

AREA, TOPOGRAPHY, AND CLIMATE

Costa Rica is the smallest of the Central American Republics with the exception of El Salvador. Its area, estimated at 23,000 square miles, is a little less than that of the state of West Virginia. Costa Rica lies south of Nicaragua and northwest of Panama, at the point where Central America narrows to the Isthmus of Panama. The coast line on the Atlantic or Caribbean side is about 181 miles and that on the Pacific side about 360 miles.

Topography.-The country is largely mountainous, the Continental Divide traversing its entire length from northwest to southeast. There are several high peaks in this chain, some of which reach an altitude of over 10,000 feet. Much fertile and productive land is found on both sides of the Divide and near the coast; about midway between the northern and southern boundaries of the country, extending across the Divide, there is a rolling section of very productive land, ranging in elevation from 3,000 to 5,000 feet, known as the Meseta Central. The soil is of volcanic origin, and is especially suitable for coffee cultivation and for growing fruits, vegetables, and other crops of the Temperate Zone.

Climate and Seasons.-The climate of Costa Rica is essentially that of the Tropics; but temperatures vary considerably in the several sections of the country because of differences in altitude. On the coast and to a height of 3,000 feet the "tierra caliente" prevails, with temperature averaging 72° to 82° F. In the mountain regions, from 3,000 to 6,000 feet, the mean temperature ranges from 57° to 68° F. The extreme heights, 7,500 feet and above, are cool, and frosts are frequent. San Jose, in the central part of the country, at an elevation of 3,800 feet, has a temperate climate. The hottest months are March, April, and May, when the monthly average is about 70° F. December and January are the coolest months, with a mean temperature of about 67° F.

The rainy season in San Jose begins in April or May and continues through November. The heaviest rainfall is generally in October, and ranges from about 12 to 30 inches. Practically no rain falls in San Jose during January, February, and March.

POPULATION AND PURCHASING POWER

The population of Costa Rica was estimated, as of December 31, 1937, at 606,581. San Jose, the capital and principal commercial center, then had a population of 63,436; Heredia, 9,083;

Alajuela, 8,677; Cartago, 8,206; Port Limon, 8,568; Puntarenas, 7,377. Most of the inhabitants, except in the Limon district, are of European descent. The pure Spanish type is marked. The Limon district has a number of blacks, mostly of West Indian origin. While the standard of living of the upper classes is rather high, the wants of the great mass of the population are small, and purchasing power is limited. In the towns, particularly, customs and tastes tend to resemble those prevailing in Spain. The language of the country is Spanish.

CHIEF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Agriculture. The wealth of Costa Rica is dependent chiefly upon agriculture. Coffee growing is the principal industry; second in importance is banana cultivation, which has been developed largely by American interests in the Atlantic coast region. This latter industry, however, is declining rapidly in that area as a result of the Sigatoka or leaf-spot disease; and the banana interests are turning their attention to the Pacific coast, where in the Province of Puntarenas extensive plantings have been made. Cacao ranks third in importance of production, and sugar fourth. Corn, beans, and a few other crops are produced commercially. There is some cattle raising and a small exportation of hides and skins.

Forest Products.-There is a considerable business in rosewood, cedar, and mahogany, and some production of rubber.

Mining. In several districts gold mining has been carried on for many years. Gold exports from Costa Rica in 1938 amounted to $629,707, or 6 percent of total exports. Coal, reported to be semibituminous, has been discovered, but the mine is not being operated. Some exploration for oil has been done; and while claims have been made that oil exists, no exploitation is taking place.

Manufacturing.-Manufacturing has not reached a high stage of development. There are shoe factories, electric power plants, a small textile mill, brewing plants, and numerous small factories of handicraft dimensions which are operated to supply domestic consumption only. A refrigeration plant has been established at Puntarenas, where shark and tuna fishing have recently been developed.

Principal Exports. Coffee, bananas, cacao, gold, lumber, honey, tuna fish, and hides and skins are the principal exports, in order of importance, but coffee, bananas, and cacao comprise over 90 percent of the total.

TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Steamship Service.-Costa Rica is served by two main seaports, Port Limon on the Atlantic side and Puntarenas on the Pacific, both equipped to handle all usual shipments. Direct

steamship service is available between these ports and the United States. The United Fruit Co. (17 Battery Place, New York, N. Y.) operates a weekly service from New York to Port Limon via Habana, Cuba, and also operates a weekly service from New Orleans, via Habana, Cuba, and Panama, to Port Limon, Costa Rica. There is a twice-monthly freight service (subject to change) of this company from New Orleans to Puntarenas via the Panama Canal, and a service every 2 weeks to a month from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Puntarenas, via Mexican and other Central American west-coast ports, by the Grace Line. The Pacific Steam Navigation Co. operates a fortnightly service between the Panama Canal port, Cristobal, and Puntarenas and other west-coast Central American ports.

Air Service.-Airplane service is available between the United States and San Jose, Costa Rica, by the Pan American Airways, south-bound Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and northbound Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In addition to these triweekly services north and south, a weekly air service is provided by local aviation companies to Managua in Nicaragua and David in Panama.

Local Transportation.-Transportation from Port Limon and Puntarenas to the interior is by narrow-gage railway to San Jose. There are no automobile roads from the central highlands to the coast. Around San Jose there are about 54 miles of concrete highway and 233 miles of macadamized road, radiating from the capital to adjacent towns. Airplane service is available between San Jose and various other cities of Costa Rica. There is steamship service between Puntarenas and other ports on the Gulf of Nicoya. Some river navigation is carried on from the Gulf of Nicoya into Guanacaste Province on the Tempisque and Bededero Rivers.

Postage.-Letter rates to Costa Rica are the same as domestic rates in the United States. Letters are ordinarily 9 to 15 days in transit. The rate for air mail (2 to 3 days in transit to San Jose) is 15 cents a half ounce or fraction thereof.

ARRIVAL

Quarantine Regulations.-There is no quarantine for passengers from the United States, but in case of suspicious illness passengers may be detained.

Commercial Licenses.-A treaty providing for a single license fee for commercial travelers and for customs treatment of samples was ratified and ratifications exchanged on June 24, 1924. To obtain a license the traveler must submit a certificate attesting his character as a commercial traveler, visaed by a Costa Rican consul.

Although the law provides that commercial travelers may operate throughout Costa Rica for a period of 1 year upon

payment of a fee of 100 colones, it is reported that during recent years no fee has been collected from travelers except when a quantity of samples is carried.

Salesmen's Samples. According to the above-mentioned treaty, samples without commercial value are admitted free of duty. Samples marked, stamped, or defaced in such manner that they cannot be put to other uses are considered to be without commercial value. Samples having commercial value are admitted provisionally upon the giving of bond for payment of lawful duties if the goods are not withdrawn from the country within a period of 6 months. Duties must be paid on any proportion of the samples not so withdrawn. A commercial traveler may sell his samples without obtaining a special license as an importer. All customs formalities are simplified as much as possible in order to avoid delay in the dispatch of samples.

Reexportation of samples.-Samples may be reexported through the customhouse at San Jose, Limon, or Puntarenas; but in the case of applications for reexportation through the customhouse in San Jose (Aduana Central), the packages of samples will be sealed, marked, and shipped, under bill of lading, to the collector of customs at port of shipment. On comparing the contents of the packages with the original customhouse entry, if it is found that any of the samples are missing, the corresponding duties and other charges will be assessed on such missing samples in the same manner as if dealing with an importation of merchandise.

A period of 6 months is allowed American traveling salesmen to avail themselves of the privilege of reexportation. Upon reexporting the samples, the bond will be canceled and a charge assessed at the rate of 0.10 colon per kilogram gross weight, provided the contents of the packages are the same as at the time of entry. This charge is for handling, and is not a duty.

Jewelry samples.-The provisions in the foregoing paragraphs on salesmen's samples do not apply to samples of jewelry and articles manufactured of gold and silver. Such samples cannot be taken out of the customhouse, and, according to the law, should be left in charge of the collector of customs and shown to merchants in presence of an official of the customs. In case they are shipped to the "Aduana Principal" (main customhouse) at San Jose, the same rule will apply. Samples of gilded and plated jewelry—that is, imitation jewelry-are subject to the same provisions as above.

Repacking samples.-It is desirable, whenever possible, to repack trunks exactly as at the time of entry. This facilitates the clearance through customhouse at time of reexportation. This applies with equal force to all other countries. The time required for clearing samples is, as a rule, only a few hours, but depends largely upon the ability of the salesman to give a satisfactory memorandum of the contents of his trunks.