Costa Rica is a small country in Central America and is bordered by Nicaragua on the north, by Panama on the south and by the Pacific and Caribbean on the east and west respectively. It also shares a maritime border with Ecuador with regards to Cocos Island.

The country features a multitude of different geographical regions, with two major mountain ranges being found here – the Cordillera Volcanica and the Cordillera de Talamanca. Being found on a subduction zone, seismic and volcanic activity is common, with six of the fourteen volcanoes being active. 

Costa Rica’s climate is tropical to subtropical, marked by distinct wet and dry seasons. Temperature and humidity vary greatly with elevation, from the cooler highlands to the steamy coastal lowlands. Located just south of the hurricane belt, the country is largely spared from tropical cyclones — only eighteen have been recorded in its history.

Perhaps the most striking ecosystem found here is the cloud forest which is teeming with wildlife, as are the tropical dry forests and rainforests which cover a fifth of the country’s land. As such, it is not surprising that despite being a small country, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity, with 25% of its land being protected.

Costa Rica’s remote Cocos Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is said to have inspired “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson and is rumoured to hide pirate treasure.