Things to know about Costa Rica

Here are some things you should know about Costa Rica:

1. Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948. Jose Figueres Ferrer, the founder of the modern Costa Rican state, was influenced by H.G. Wells’ “Outline of History” which he read in 1920 while studying at MIT. Figueres believed that “The future of mankind cannot include armed forces; Police, yes, because people are imperfect.” Costa Rica has no armed forces and has not had a civil war or guerilla insurgency plague its people since 1948. Costa Ricans are a people who are used to peace.
2. Costa Rican spending on its social programs is on par with those of Scandinavian countries.
3. Intel’s only microprocessor factory in latin America is located in Costa Rica. This factory accounts for 20% of Costa Rica’s exports.
4. Costa Rica is trying to become a carbon neutral nation by 2012.
5. It provides most of its own power through hydro-electric and wind technology.
6. It has only about 0.1% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity.
7. Costa Rica has designated 25% of its land mass as protected areas and parks. This is the highest percentage in the world.