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Tiradentes

(Encyclopedia)Tiradentes tērəᵺĕnˈtəs [key], 1748–92, Brazilian patriot. His real name was José Joaquim da Silva Xavier. He gained his nickname, which means “tooth-puller,” working as a healer in his y...

São Tomé and Principe

(Encyclopedia)CE5 São Tomé and Principe prēnˈsēpə [key], officially Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Principe, republic (2015 est. pop. 196,000), 372 sq mi (964 sq km), W Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea...

Brazil

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Brazil brəzĭlˈ [key], Port. Brasil, officially Federative Republic of Brazil, repub...

Valencia, Guillermo

(Encyclopedia)Valencia, Guillermo gēyārˈmō välānˈsyä [key], 1873–1943, Colombian poet, one of the leaders of modernismo. He came from an aristocratic family, received solid classical training, and became ...

Nicoya Peninsula

(Encyclopedia)Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste and Puntarenas provs., W Costa Rica, separating the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Nicoya. About 75 mi (120 km) long and 19–37 mi (30–60 km) wide, it is Costa Rica's l...

San Juan, river, Nicaragua

(Encyclopedia)San Juan sän hwän [key], river, c.110 mi (180 km) long, flowing from the southeast corner of Lake Nicaragua E to the Caribbean Sea, near the port of San Juan del Norte. The lower course of the deep ...

Limón

(Encyclopedia)Limón lēmōnˈ [key], city (1995 est. pop. 55,866), capital of Limón prov., Costa Rica, on the Caribbean Sea. Once the leading port of Costa Rica, it has been superseded by Moín. Limón gained imp...

Chinchilla Miranda, Laura

(Encyclopedia)Chinchilla Miranda, Laura, 1959–, Costa Rican politian, president of Costa Rica (2010–). Before entering politics she worked as a consultant for international agencies in Latin America and Africa....

Guardia, Tomás

(Encyclopedia)Guardia, Tomás tōmäsˈ gwärˈdēä [key], 1832–82, president of Costa Rica. An army general, he led a revolt that eventually placed him in control and enabled him to rule the country from 1870 t...