The Central American country of Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the region.  Consistently ranked among the top Latin American countries, Costa Rica has been a leader in a variety of fields, especially environmental awareness.  According to the Happy Planet Index, Costa Rica is the greenest country in the world.  While tourism is the largest economic driver in the small nation, Costa Rica also thrives off a vibrant trade agreement with the United States and a number of different states around the world.  In early times, Costa Rica was known solely as a supplier of bananas and coffee.

Today, Costa Rica exports not only coffee and bananas, but also sugar, lumber, wood products, and beef.  But besides these staple products, the country has recently developed sturdy industries around electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism.  Because of the high level of education in the area, a number of skilled laborer functions are now common throughout the region.  Most people who go on Costa Rica vacations look  forward to exploring the vast and diverse geography of the tiny nation as well as explore the native culture that has become such a strong brand in recent years.