Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Costa Rica, which means "Rich Coast", constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949.  It is the only Latin American country included in the list of the world’s 22 older democracies.  Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index, and ranked 54th in the world in 2007.  The country is ranked 3rd in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.