Costa Rica meaning “rich coast” in Spanish is, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
Once a backwater colony under Spanish rule it attained independence in 1838 and has since become one of the most, prosperous, and progressive nations in Latin America.
With an uninterrupted democracy dating back to 1948, the country is the most stable in the region Inspirationally it permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming the first of a few sovereign nations to do without a standing army. Rather than waste funds on war and training for such a horror it has ploughed budget into things that matter.
- Environment
- Education
- Health
Costa Rican Crocodile
As a result the country has consistently been among the top-ranking Latin American countries in the Human Development Index (HDI). It is one of the happiest countries in the world.
Costa Rica is known for its progressive environmental policies and as one of the greenest countries in the world has plans to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021.
In 2012, Costa Rica became the first country in the Americas to ban recreational hunting after the country’s legislature approved the popular measure by a wide margin.