Why is Costa Rica’s geography so good for growing coffee?

Coffea arabica produces the finest arabica coffee beans. This shrub flourishes in Costa Rica because of the fertile soil, altitude and climate. Most Costa Rican coffee is grown in the highland valley region, Meseta Central, between 800 and 1,500 metres (2,600-4,900 feet). Here the soil is acidic and mineralenriched by lava and ash spewed from volcanoes.

There are also two distinct seasons. The rainy season from May to November has cool, wet afternoons that promote coffee growth, and sunny mornings. During the dry harvest season, meanwhile – from around December to March – hot, sunny days aid coffee bean ripening.

Answered by Vivienne Raper, How It Works contributor.