Costa Rica

License plates are commonly white with blue text.

Many signs use gray square or U-shaped poles, and the backs of signs often have a cross brace.

Fertile, very dark volcanic soil is widespread. Costa Rica sits between the Caribbean and Cocos plates, so volcanoes are common.

Yellow fire hydrants are common.

In countries south of Mexico, trash baskets are often mounted high in front of houses to keep stray dogs out—see (References this explainer) for examples.

You can spot signs for kölbi, the brand of the state telecom ICE (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad)(References Kölbi). These appear at shops where you can top up prepaid credit.

Rainfall is lower than elsewhere, and tropical rainforest is scarcer.

There is no road through the interior of the range—roads run along both sides. Rainforest and cloud forest spread across it, and even roads on the flanks stay lush.

Police boxes display the locality name.

A highway runs to the port, and container trucks are common.