Costa Rica

Costa Rica - Is officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a North American country located in Central America and shares borders with Nicaragua, Panama, the Pacific Ocean and south and the Caribbean Sea. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. In October 2007, a national referendum voted in favor of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.1% of the world's landmass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity. Around 25% of the country's land area is in protected national parks and protected areas, the largest percentile of protected areas in the world.