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Costa Rica has a surprising diversity of terrain. In the cities and towns, the country’s Spanish heritage provides the main features of interest. Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s national parks are its greatest glory. Partly in order to continue to encourage ecotourism, the Costa Rican authorities have set aside a large proportion of the country (around 26% of the total land area) as national
parks and protected areas, which are well kept and well guarded. The country has a stunning variety of landscapes, microclimates, flora and fauna, and nature lovers will not be disappointed.
Columbus landed in what is now Costa Rica in 1501. Under the rule of General Tomas Guardia between 1870 and 1882, Costa Rica developed
many of its principal modern characteristics, notably the minimal role of the Catholic Church in secular matters and a relatively
isolationist foreign policy. Throughout the 20th century, Costa Rica has enjoyed peace and a steady growth in prosperity, with the notable exception of a civil war in 1948 which followed a disputed presidential election.
In recent times, one of the most prominent political figures has been President Oscar Arias Sanchez of the Partido de Liberacion Nacional (PLN) who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts in bringing warring parties elsewhere in Central America
to the negotiating table.
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Overview 
