Costa Rica or "rich coast" in English, lives up to its name in many ways. Even though it’s neighbors often struggle to achieve peace and economic stability, Costa Rica has enjoyed a stable democracy for more than 100 years and has a reputation for peace. In fact, since the peace process in 1987 Costa Rica is a neutral country and has not had an army since 1948.

As far as the seasons and weather, Costa Rica ia a very temperate climate. There are two seasons in Costa Rica. The rainy season is from May to mid-November and summer is from mid-November to April. Fortunately, in the rainy season it rarely rains all day long. Usually the mornings are bright and sunny with showers in mid-afternoon. Temperatures vary depending on elevation and location. Temperatures in the Central Valley are generally between 66 to 75 degrees, yet temperatures are higher on the coasts and lower in the mountains.

In size, Costa Rica is a fairly small country, a grand total of 19,530 square miles which hosts around 3 million inhabitants, most of whom live in the Central Valley. For its size, the country has an amazing amount of diversity. From mountainous ranges, to tropical, dry, and cloud forests. Costa Rica is a naturist’s wonderland. There are over 10,000 identified species of plants, 850 species of birds, 800 species of butterflies, and 500 species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, combined (Greenspan, 1997).