Costa Rica

Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus and is internationally known as a tourist destination. Indeed, this small country of 51,100 square kilometers and 4.8 million inhabitants receives more than two million tourists each year. With its well-developed democratic and environmental institutions, Costa Rica has been considered an exception within Central America. Tourism became one of the main pillars of the economy in the 1990s, and the success of tourism has contributed to the wide recognition of natural resources as the most valuable national assets. The Costa Rican state has also been critical to implementing environmental norms and institutions and promoting environmental practices among the population in order to shape a sustainable tourism industry.