Columbus landed in what is now Costa Rica in 1501. Under the rule of General Tomas Guardia between 1870 and 1882, Costa Rica developed many of its principal modern characteristics, notably the minimal role of the Catholic Church in secular matters and a relatively isolationist foreign policy. Throughout the 20th century, Costa Rica has enjoyed peace and a steady growth in prosperity, with the notable exception of a civil war in 1948 which followed a disputed presidential election. In recent times, one of the most prominent political figures has been President Oscar Arias Sanchez of the Partido de Liberacion Nacional (PLN) who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts in bringing warring parties elsewhere in Central America to the negotiating table.

Costa Rica has a surprising diversity of terrain. In the cities and towns, the country’s Spanish heritage provides the main features of interest. Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s national parks are its greatest glory. Partly in order to continue to encourage ecotourism, the Costa Rican authorities have set aside a large proportion of the country (around 26 per cent of the total land area) as national parks and protected areas, which are well kept and well guarded. The country has a stunning variety of landscapes, micro-climates, flora and fauna, and nature lovers will not be disappointed.

Geography
Costa Rica, lying between Nicaragua and Panama, is a complete coast-to-coast segment of the Central American isthmus. Its width ranges from 119km to 282km (74 to 176 miles). A low thin line of hills, that rises between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean in Nicaragua, broadens and rises as it enters northern Costa Rica, eventually forming the high, rugged, mountains of volcanic origin in the center and south. The highest peak is Chirripó Grande, which reaches 3,820m (12,530ft). More than half the population live on the Meseta Central, a plateau with an equitable climate. It is rimmed to the southwest by the Cordillera range, and provides the setting for the country’s capital, San José. There are lowlands on both coastlines, mainly swampy on the Caribbean coast, with grassland savannah on the Pacific side merging into mangrove towards the south. Rivers cut through the mountains, flowing down to both the Caribbean and the Pacific.