Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country located in Central America, and ever since the year 1949 it has not had an army. Although the country is small and it covers only 0.03% of the surface of the globe, it proudly shelters over 5% of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. 25.58% of the country is composed of conservation and natural protected territory, and it possesses the greatest density and biodiversity of species in the world.

Climate

Costa Rica is a tropical country that lies almost entirely between 8 and 11 degrees north latitude, which means that much of what you imagine about a Costa Rica vacation is true: dense rain forests, beaches lined with palm trees, warm weather and tropical waters.

There is the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season begins in May and lasts into November, and the dry season starts at the end of November and lasts through April. In the rainy season, sunny mornings are typically followed up by a cloudy mid-day and an afternoon shower, usually clearing up in time to go out in the evening.

Education and medicine

In Costa Rica it‘s common to hear the phrase “Instead of spending money on weapons we spend it on education. We have an army of teachers in Costa Rica.” With a literacy rate of 97% and the second-highest life expectancy in the hemisphere, Costa Rica has stood out for decades as a Latin American model for social programs. School is free and compulsory through high school, and public universities are excellent and inexpensive. Costa Rica has enjoyed a socialized medical system for over 50 years, providing quality care without charge. If you become ill or injured, hospitals and private clinics in San José provide a level of care comparable to that found in the United States for a fraction of the cost.

Tourism Facts:

• 97.04% national electricity coverage
• 99% urban potable water coverage (92% in rural areas)
• 933.63 internet users per 10,000 inhabitants
• Tourism in Costa Rica is growing at a 7.1% annual growth rate
• The hotel industry has been expanding at an annual rate of 4.5%
• Costa Rica receives more than 3.1 million tourists per year
• Visitors from USA represents a 48% of all tourists, 16% come from Europe and 36% from other countries