Introduction to Costa Rica Hemmed in between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans near the narrowest point of the Central American isthmus, the tiny republic of Costa Rica is often pictured as an oasis of political stability in the midst of a turbulent region. This democratic and prosperous nation is also one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, an ecological treasure trove whose wide range of habitats – ranging from rainforests and beaches to volcanoes and mangrove swamps – support a fascinating variety of wildlife, much of it now protected by an enlightened national conservation system widely regarded as a model of its kind.
Though this idyllic image might not do justice to the full complexities of contemporary Costa Rican society, it's true that the country's long democratic tradition and complete absence of military forces (the army was abolished in 1948) stand in sharp contrast to the brutal internal conflicts which have ravaged its neighbours, while the country has also largely escaped the natural disasters which have afflicted so many other Central American states. This reputation for peacefulness has been an important factor in the spectacular growth of Costa Rica's tourist industry – more than a million people visit the country annually, mainly from North America. Most of all, though, it's the country's outstanding natural beauty which has made it one of the world's prime eco-tourism destinations, with visitors coming to walk trails beneath the vaulting canopy trees of million-year-old rainforests; to climb the volcanoes that punctuate the country's mountainous spine; or to explore the high-altitude cloudforest, home to the jaguar, the lumbering tapir and the resplendent quetzal.
Admittedly, tourism has made Costa Rica less of an "authentic" experience than some travellers would like: it's hard to go anywhere in the country without bumping into whitewater rafters or surfers, and more and more previously remote spots are being bought up by foreign entrepreneurs. Still, few Costa Ricans have anything bad to say about their country's popularity as a destination – perhaps simply because they know on which side their bread's buttered. But as more hotels open, malls go up and visitors flock to resorts and national parks, there's no doubt that Costa Rica is experiencing a significant social change, while the darker side of outside involvement in the country – sex tourism, real-estate scams and conflicts between foreign property-owners and poorer locals – are all on the increase.
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• The Republic of Costa Rica lies on the Central American isthmus between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, consisting of a mountainous backbone – rising to 3819m at the summit of Mount Chirripó, its highest point – flanked by low-lying coastal strips. Though set in one of the most geologically active regions on Earth, Costa Rica has suffered less from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions than its northern neighbours – the worst incident in modern times was the earthquake which struck near Cartago in April 1910, killing 1750 people.
• The country's population is largely of Spanish extraction, though there's a substantial community of English-speaking Costa Ricans of African origin along the Caribbean coast, along with a few thousand indigenous peoples. Costa Rica is a young country: out of its population of slightly over 3 million, more than a third are aged under 15; men currently enjoy a life expectancy of 72, women of 77.
• Costa Rica's main exports are coffee and bananas, though in recent years income from these products has been overtaken by that from tourism. The country's recent prosperity has also been partly funded by massive borrowing – per capita, Costa Rica's levels of debt are among the highest in the world. Despite widespread poverty, the free and compulsory primary education system means that the country boasts a literacy rate of 90 percent, the best in Central America.
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Costa Rica's economy is the most diversified in Central America, and some argue that of all the regional nations, it has the least to gain from the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which it entered into in 2005 – an important step in its economic history, and in particular the history of its relationship with the US. Regional integration may mean prosperity, or job losses – only time will tell.
In any case, revenue from tourism is one of the reasons Costa Ricans – or Ticos, as they are generally known – now enjoy the highest rate of literacy, health care, education and life expectancy in the isthmus. That said, Costa Rica is certainly not the middle-class country that it's often portrayed to be – a significant percentage of people still live below the poverty line – and while it is modernizing fast, its character continues to be rooted in distinct local cultures, from the Afro-Caribbean province of Limón, with its Creole cuisine, games and patois, to the traditional ladino values embodied by the sabanero (cowboy) of Guanacaste. Above all, the country still has the highest rural population density in Latin America, and society continues to revolve around the twin axes of countryside and family: wherever you go, you're sure to be left with mental snapshots of rural life, whether it be horsemen trotting by on dirt roads, coffee-plantation day-labourers setting off to work in the dawn mists of the Highlands or avocado-pickers cycling home at sunset.
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Costa Rica's position as a land bridge between the temperate north and the tropical south has given it a beguiling diversity of animal life, including tropical creatures such as the jaguar, temperate-zone animals like the deer and some unusual, seemingly hybrid combinations such as the coati and the tapir. It's also home to no fewer than 850 species of bird – more than the US and Canada combined – along with a quarter of the world's known butterflies and thousands of moths, bees and wasps.
While it has an extraordinary wealth of bird and animal life, Costa Rica isn't a zoo. Most animals are very shy – and in some cases, centuries of hunting has driven them to take refuge in the most impenetrable terrain. That said, the average visitor to one of the national parks or reserves has a fair chance of spotting one or two unfamiliar creatures, most likely the bright-beaked toucan, the common paca (a large, harmless rodent which forages on the forest floor) or the coati (which looks like a cross between a raccoon and an anteater), along with a few smaller bird species. You will, however, have to be extremely lucky to get a glimpse of one of the country's larger mammals, such as the jaguar, ocelot or tapir.
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