Costa Rica Blue: essential COSTA RICA launches new platform to explore and protect the country's oceans

• Digital platform offers interactive and educational content to showcase marine biodiversity and promote ocean conservation
• Costa Rica is home to approximately 3.5% of the world's reported marine species

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the National Geographic Institute, Costa Rica's marine territory is ten times larger than its land area, yet this reality is not always part of the country's collective awareness. In response, and with the goal of promoting conservation and education, the essential COSTA RICA country brand launched Costa Rica Blue, a digital platform designed to bring Costa Ricans closer to the knowledge and importance of their oceans.

The initiative aims to strengthen ocean literacy through an interactive and educational platform that encourages the protection of marine ecosystems. Costa Rica Blue is freely available to students, educators, and the general public at the following link: https://www.esencialcostarica.com/costaricablue/

"Costa Rica Blue was created out of the need to better understand our oceans and recognize their value. We believe that knowledge is the first step toward protection, and this platform seeks precisely that: to bring this knowledge to more people—especially younger generations—through an accessible and interactive experience," said Adriana Acosta, Director of the essential COSTA RICA country brand.

According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, more than 7,000 marine species have been recorded in Costa Rica's waters, many of them unique or endemic. Costa Rica Blue immerses users in the depths of Costa Rican waters and invites them to discover these species, providing information on each one, as well as the environments, temperatures, and pressure levels in which they live.

In addition, the platform includes key information about coral reefs and seamounts, as well as alerts regarding the risks of overfishing for vulnerable species and marine biodiversity.

"Costa Rica is a deeply blue country, yet we are not always fully aware of what that means. This platform is an invitation to rediscover that richness, to reconnect with our oceans, and to understand that their protection is part of who we are as a country. This initiative reflects the values of sustainability and innovation promoted by the essential COSTA RICA country brand," Acosta added.

Costa Rica Blue is a project developed in coordination with the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), as a key partner in implementing the initiative within the national education system.

"These educational resources have been designed in alignment with the Science and Biology curricula for students in lower and upper secondary education across different academic tracks. They serve as a complementary tool to strengthen classroom teaching and learning processes," said Alfredo Ortega Cordero, Head of the Lower and Upper Secondary Education Department at the Curriculum Development Directorate of the MEP.

Why are oceans important?

92% of Costa Rica's territory is ocean
The country's marine territory is approximately 10 times larger than its land area
Costa Rica is home to around 3.5% of the world's reported marine species
Oceans generate more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe and absorb nearly 30% of the CO₂ produced by humanity, highlighting their importance for planetary balance.

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