The Costa Rican people are referred to as "Ticos" which was given to them in reference to the type of Spanish they speak. It should also be mentioned that Costa Rican's come mostly from European decent and less Mestizo backround. It seems that when a Costa Rican wants to refer to something as "small" they simply put the Spanish word with the "-tico" ending. So an example would be "chiquitico" = something small. The phrase Ticos has stuck and they are known all over Latin America as "Los Ticos".
The Costa Rican People are known for being happy also. All of this can be attributed to their development in recent years, their protected natural areas, and their lack of a military. In general the country is very peaceful and the people really are happy. They were voted by the Happy Index as the happiest people on the planet in 2010. Being a country of such tranquility and peace for the last 40 years has come with it's recent price. With the influx of immigration of neighboring countries such as the extreme poor from Nicaragua or the chased after drug-lords of Mexico, Costa Rica seems to be the perfect refuge for many. None of this has allowed the Tico spirit to be damaged as the locals are always the first to keep their country the way they know it and always stand up for social issues and give a nudge when needed to the Democratic government on issues that need to be addressed.