The Land

Costa Rica is a Democratic Republic and is the second smallest country in Central America next to El Salvador . Since 1949 it has not had an acting army and is bordered by Nicaragua (to the north) and Panama (to the south). Costa Rica only has a landmass of about 50,895 square kilometers and at its narrowest point in the south, only 119 km separate the Caribbean from the Pacific. Lying between 8 and 11 degrees north of the equator, it sits wholly within the tropics, a fact quickly confirmed in the middle in the middle of the sodden Caribbean lowlands or the Talamanca Mountains. Elevation and extremes of relief, however, temper the stereotypical tropical climate. In fact, the nation boasts more than a dozen distinct climatic zones. Atop the highest mountains in cooler months, even ice and snow aren't uncommon.

Ticos, as the people of Costa Rica are known, are famous for being hospitable, and are quite happy to live up to that reputation. They seem to be well aware that their country is a special place, and they go out of their way to accommodate their visitors, pointing them in the right direction when they get lost, explaining things that might seem foreign to a foreigner, and helping make their stay as enjoyable as possible. Pura Vida!