Costa Rica has designated 27% of its land mass as protected areas for national parks and reserves.
As the "Switzerland of Central America," Costa Rica places a high priority on education and democracy. In 1949, the government abolished the army, allocating all impending military expenditures to education and health care. Consequently, the country boasts a 95% literacy rate and continues to be one of the highest in the world.
A strong contender in world markets, Costa Rica features international ports on both of its coasts, all modes of transportation services, an advanced infrastructure, and a strategic location at the crossroads of two continents. Because the government strongly supports new business ventures with excellent incentives, a growing number of multinational corporations have
been drawn to the country.
Costa Rica's natural beauty attracts over one million visitors annually. Nine active volcanoes, forests, wetlands, lakes, island reserves and 966 kilometers (600 miles) of beaches on two coasts account for a substantial increase in tourism over the last decade. |
