| Costa Rica, the Rich Coast, was named by its earliest | | | | variety of reasons. |
| Spanish settlers in anticipation of the gold and | | | | Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries in |
| treasure they would discover there. Instead, they | | | | the World. Its tiny land mass is sandwiched between |
| found a greater treasure. | | | | the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean |
| Costa Rica is a tiny gem of the country that is | | | | on the west. The result is over 800 miles of |
| located in Central America between the countries of | | | | unspoiled beaches. The country is divided by a central |
| Nicaragua and Panama. Its total size is about the | | | | highland that bisects the country like a stone |
| same as the States of New Hampshire and Vermont | | | | backbone. The mountains are covered in many areas |
| combined and its population is just over 4 million | | | | by lush tropical rain forests that contain one of the |
| people. It has slowly been gaining a reputation as one | | | | most diverse ecosystems anywhere. Costa Rica |
| of the most attractive tourist destinations in the | | | | proudly claims the largest species density in the |
| entire World. This reputation has been earned for a | | | | World and ecotourism has become a leading industry. |