Costa Rica is a leading world nation in conservation, protecting roughly 25% of it's natural environment in the country's 26 national parks. This is for good reason; tropical rainforests are often referred to as "jewels of the earth" - they are home to two-thirds of all living animal and plant species on the planet.
Bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with Panama to the south and Nicaragua to the north, the country is just over twice the size of Wales. It is a peaceful country having abolished the need for an army since 1948.
An example to the rest of the world, Costa Rica is on track to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2020, with 99% of the country's energy needs met through a combination of geothermal, hydroelectric and wind power.