Costa Rica

Costa Rica (“rich coast”) is a small (19,961 square mile [51,700 square kilometer]), peaceful country in Central America. It is situated between Nicaragua and Panama, and covers only 0.03 percent of the surface of the globe. Nevertheless, it proudly shelters 6 percent of the existing biodiversity in the entire world; 25 percent of the country is composed of conservation and natural, protected territory. One-third of the 4,576,562 inhabitants (2011) of Costa Rica live in the higher-lying central valley, where the capital city of San Jose is situated. It is rich in wildlife, natural diversity, and pristine sandy beaches along its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Cordillera Central is a volcanic chain of mountains with partly active volcanoes, passing through the country from north to south. Tourists ...