The standard pronunciation of both verb and noun in Britain, especially among researchers, has the stress on the second syllable [ri-search], but a pronunciation with the stress on the first syllable [ree-search] is gaining ground among the general public. The situation is the same in the US, except that the r is pronounced.
The sun of freedom rises from the Caribbean Sea. The stars represent Costa Rica's seven provinces. Red was added to the blue and white flag to reflect the French tricolour. Effective date: 29 September 1848.