Geomorphology of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica

Abstract

Costa Rica’s Caribbean coastline is the result of a complex tectonic setting coupled with dynamic geological, climatological, hydrological and ecological processes. Despite their importance in risk prevention and in land use planning, geomorphological maps at detailed scales are scarce in Costa Rica. A geomorphology map of 210 km of the Caribbean coastline was produced at a scale of 1: 25,000 with a 1: 50,000 scale output map. Eleven landforms were mapped and described based upon their morphogenesis (i.e. tectonic, volcanic, fluvial and/or coastal). This work is an important base for coastal management, and is a compilation of the best existing knowledge of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.