Country Info | Aesthetic Dental Implantology, Dental Implants Costa Rica, Cosmetic Dentistry Home / Costa Rica / Country Info Costa Rica is located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army in 1948, it has no military forces and is one of the most consolidated democracies in Latin America. It has an area of 51,100 km² and a population of 4.500.000 habitants in seven provinces, and its political and economic center is the city of San José, the capital, with 1.350.000 habitants. Costa Rica has suffered a significant evolution in its economy was transformed from an agricultural economy to a service economy. The country has a high standard of living, especially when is compared to other nearby countries. It is the only Latin American country included in the list of the 22 oldest democracies in the world. Costa Rica ranks third worldwide in the classification of the Environmental Performance Index 2009.

Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica occupies first place in the classification of tourism competitiveness index. It ranks third in Latin America following the index of quality of life and the second in terms of Global Competitiveness Index. According to the World Bank Development, Costa Rica is the fourth largest exporter of technology worldwide. CNN proclaimed Costa Rica the happiest place on earth in July of 2009. Please see their report at: cnn news. That was confirmed by a report published in the UK by the BBC in January of 2010, they said: “Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada)”. The study was conducted by The New Economics Foundation. Daily Flights to Costa Rica Costa Rica has two main international airports, San José (city capital) and Liberia (in the province of Guanacaste, where they are the most beautiful beaches). Daily flights departs from U.S.A., Canada and Europe to Costa Rica on airlines such as American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Air Canada, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, U.S.

Airways, MartinAir, Iberia, Air France, Spirit Airlines, Condor, Taca, Mexicana, Copa, Avianca, Frontier Airlines and others. From Miami to Costa Rica the flight is very short, lasting only 2 hours 30 min Language Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica. English is widely spoken. Weather Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November). The Pacific coast is drier while the Atlantic is wetter, 300 days a year. The temperature in San Jose ranges from 75-80 F and 57-60 F. The hottest months are January to March. Flora and Fauna Nature This country is one that has more varied and contrasting biodiversity in the world. The diversity of flora and fauna are virtually unmatched. Hosts over 209 species of mammals, 383 kinds of reptiles and amphibians and 2,000 species of butterflies. Although Costa Rica covers only 0.3% of the superifice the planet, has 5% of all plant and animal species on the planet.

Religion Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.3%, Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8% and 3.2% None Currency The official currency is the “Columbus.” Currently the exchange rate is about 510 colones per U.S. dollar with some minor variations. Calling Code: +506 Model United Nations: RCIMUN ambassador speech RCIMUN ambassador speech Honorable Chairs, Fellow Delegates It is a great pleasure for Costa Rica to be present today. As you may know, the government of Costa Rica has been an active participant in the United Nations for many years and has long emphasized the development of democracy and respect for human rights. In 1987 the president of Costa Rica, Arias, was awarded the Nobel peace prize for his efforts on behalf of peace in the Latin American region, and there has been peace in Costa Rica ever since. Costa Rica has been fortunate enough to have 115 years of uninterrupted democracy, a notable accomplishment.

In 1948 Costa Rica became the first country in the modern world to constitutionally abolish all military forces and thus has been free of a standing army for sixty-one years. This act set Costa Rica apart from countries under malicious dictatorship, as were most in Central America during this time. As We know, the UN has unquestionably proven its value over the years in allowing nation states to come together on an equal basis to discuss issues of war and peace. And so today, as you undertake your more important consultations this week, bear in mind that seemingly intractable situations that seem to withstand unanimous solidarity, may be resolved by inviting regional associations and authorities to actively participate in such discussions. Thank you for your kind attention, and good luck with your deliberations this week. Posted by Costa Rica: An Army-less Nation in a Problem-Prone Region – COHA COHA 12910 12 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2F The Central American nation of Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the world that does not possess a standing military. Nevertheless, Costa Rica, like other Latin American countries, faces a variety of security threats that test the country’s security capacity.

Major national security issues include border control, drug trafficking and the expansion of international criminal organizations into the country, like for example, the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel. On the international front, Costa Rica is currently involved in a border dispute with Nicaragua, which includes the occupation by a contingent of Nicaraguan army troops of disputed territories along the San Juan River since last year. The river traditionally has served as a natural border between the two countries, but Nicaragua altered the river’s course last year, resulting in a newfound control of the disputed Calero Island, at least for the time being. In response, San José has created a new elite border unit. The combination of rising criminal activity and the current border dispute with a state that possesses a relatively strong standing military means that Costa Rica will have to develop a stronger defense capacity to tackle growing security-related issues. The History Costa Rica’s revered president, José Figueres Ferrer, abolished the country’s military on December 1, 1948. The following year, Article 12 of the new constitution codified the abolition of the military. The armed forces’ budget was then shifted to internal security goals by redirecting funds to the police force, education, environmental protection and cultural preservation.

As a result, the country became known as a ‘civilized nation’–a label that it could not have claimed before the abolition of the armed forces. Prior to Figueres’ landmark initiative, Costa Rica, had suffered from a series of unstable governments. From 1917 to 1919, the country was under the dictatorial grip of General Federico Tinoco Granados, until he was overthrown and forced into exile. Figueres himself came to power through an armed insurrection that pitted him against Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, a former president (1940-1944) who was trying to regain power through fraudulent elections and, ultimately, violence. Some 2,000 people died during the 44-day uprising, and it has been argued that Figueres abolished the military in order to avoid a future potential military coup against him. Today Costa Rica, considered by some, perhaps naively, as the “Switzerland” of Latin America, serves as the host for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations’ University for Peace, and is a member of other organizations related to international justice and human rights, including the International Criminal Court.

The Equipment and Organization of Costa Rica’s Police Force Even though it does not possess a standing military, Costa Rica does have extensive security forces meant to tackle internal issues of law and order. With a population of around 4.5 million, the country has a police force of approximately 10,000 officers, as well as a Civil Guard consisting of 4,500 troops. Compared to other Central American police units, Costa Rica’s police establishment appears to be fairly well-equipped and trained. However, this comparison might be somewhat deceiving, since Costa Rica’s police reportedly have insufficient training, a shortage of service men, and a lack of resources (including vehicles, weaponry, etc). Without a formal military force, Costa Rica had no need to regularly invest in naval vessels, warplanes, or tanks, which typically make up the heavy equipment of any traditional armed forces. Hence, in theory, the country could focus its financial resources on developing the best possible police force to maintain internal order, at the lowest cost.

In fact, in early 2008, as reported by the Spanish defense-news agency, Infodefensa.com, the Spanish company, FEDUR S.A., was awarded a contract by the Costa Rican Ministry of Security to provide new equipment to the nation’s police force. The total bill for the upgrade was close to €2.1 million (almost USD 3 million). The contract included 5,000 bulletproof vests, 10,000 police sticks, 1,000 helmets and 1,000 shields. However, more acquisitions are badly needed, According to an April 2011 report in The Economist, the country has only two helicopters, and the Coast Guard has only a dozen World War II-era patrol boats to police Costa Rica’s two coasts. In an interview with COHA, Mr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, former vice president of Costa Rica and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, explained that the country has not spent enough of its resources on security for the past forty years. However, San José has made efforts to improve the training of its police force.

For example, in November 2010, after the 12th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Mechanism of Tuxtla Dialogue and Agreement, Costa Rica and Colombia signed an agreement whereby Colombian authorities would train and advise the Costa Rican police in order to improve its capacity for fighting drug trafficking. Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla insisted that the police force was not being militarized. She emphasized to the press that “the Colombian police are a civilian police; we are not asking for assistance from the Colombian Army, or from any Central American army.” In addition, the country has a special elite police unit known as Unidad Especial de Intervencion (Special Forces Unit). In March 2011, President Chinchilla announced the creation of a special unit of the border guards. Several reports, including an article that appeared in the Nicaraguan daily El Nuevo Diario, reported that the elite guards would be financed by USD 1 million, and would soon be equipped with automatic rifles. The first unit will consist of 150 police officers and will be deployed along the country’s borders with Panama and Nicaragua.

In statements made to the media, José María Tijerino, a former Minister of Public Security, explained that the elite guards will be provided with 18 “pickup” vehicles, speedboats, communication equipment and other high-tech gadgets. In terms of political developments, this past February, President Chinchilla and the heads of the country’s judiciary and legislature agreed on a 10-year plan to tackle Costa Rica’s internal crime. The plan itself was created by the United Nations Development Program and other experts. According to reports, the goal is to improve the training of the police forces and the creation of new prison facilities. Opposition parties have criticized the plan, claiming that it offers generalized goals instead of concrete solutions. There are also concerns that, in order to carry out these objectives, the legislature will have to approve of new taxes. As part of its strategy, the Costa Rican government has created the position of Drug Czar (Comisionado Nacional Antidrogas), and appointed lawyer Mauricio Boraschi as its new head. In spite of improvements in training and equipment, there are other problems that have yet to be tackled, including police corruption, alleged human rights abuses and low wages for police officers.

In 2008, 11 officers in the city of Heredia were arrested for drug trafficking. At the time, local media reports explained that the salary of a national police officer was about USD 328 a month, a modest salary which barely allows for maintaining a family, but is not enough to protect an officer from the temptation of possibly accepting bribes. In addition, in 2009, there were also accusations that members of the Dirección de Inteligencia y Seguridad (Intelligence and Security Directorate – DIS), the police intelligence unit, had been spying on anti-government political groups. The latest development regarding Costa Rica’s security situation was the mid-May approval of a USD 132 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank to improve the country’s security. According to a report by Associated Press reporter Luis Alfonso Lugo, the goal of the loan is to build 2,700 cells in Costa Rican prisons and hire new staff for the national police academy. The Costa Rican Police: Better than its neighbors With that said, the Costa Rican Fuerza Publica, is seen as being better trained and equipped than the police forces of other Central American states. In an interview with COHA, Dr.

John Booth, a regents professor at the University of North Texas, said that “I’d rather be arrested in Costa Rica than anywhere else in Central America because the general human rights climate is much better– there is less abuse by the Fuerza Publica.” Former Vice President Casas-Zamora believes that, despite the bad image the Costa Rican security forces may be experiencing, they are not perceived as a threat by the local population; “they are not regarded as a predatory police,” he explained to COHA. Other Latin American police forces do not enjoy such a positive perception. El Salvador, for example, carried out a major crackdown on gangs through an operation known as Mano Dura (Strong Hand), which has been widely condemned by human rights organizations as being too violent and ineffective. The Guatemalan police also suffers of a bad name, particularly after the country’s chief of national police and the country’s top anti-drugs official (Baltazar Gomez and Nelly Bonilla), were arrested in March 2010 over drug trafficking connections. U.S. Offers Support to Costa Rica The U.S. military has recently taken a keen interest in Costa Rica’s war on drugs.

In July 2010, a fleet of U.S. warships and 7,000 servicemen arrived in Costa Rica. The American naval deployment included the carrier USS Making Island, several frigates, submarines and a hospital ship. Costa Rican opposition parties like Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), Unidad Social Cristiana and the Frente Amplio objected to the port call, stating that “the destructive force of the ships, helicopters and marines is disproportionate to combating drug trafficking.” The Chinchilla administration was quick to respond that the U.S. forces would not be permanently deployed on Costa Rican territory or take part in security operations beyond traditional policing. However, it is worth mentioning that the close relations between Washington and San José have attracted criticism. In September 2010, outspoken Bolivian president Evo Morales quipped that Costa Rica does in fact have an army, referring to the U.S. military. The Andean president eventually issued an apology and retracted his comments. In fact, Anne S. Andrew, U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, has asked that the Costa Rican legislature allow U.S. warships to make a port call.

So far, the local legislative body has only allowed U.S. Coast Guard vessels to dock in Costa Rican ports. Juan Carlos Mendoza, an opposition deputy for the PAC, stated that his party opposes the docking of American naval warships because “it is not clear what other strategic military goals they have, besides combating drug trafficking.” In comments reproduced by Infodefensa.com, Paul Trivelli, a consultant for SOUTHCOM, stated that the Pentagon wants to repair Costa Rican patrol boats so they can be used in drug trafficking operations. Trivelli stated, “it is necessary to take into account that drug traffickers are now paying with cocaine and creating problems in many countries. Colombian and Mexican drug cartels are here and they must be combated [by the U.S.] as partners of Costa Rica.” San José signed a defense agreement with the U.S. in 1999, but many opposition factions would like to see it voided. Internal Security Issues Today, the Costa Rican police force faces several difficult dilemmas. Because of its geographical location, the country is part of a transit corridor (via land, air and sea) of drugs coming from South America to North America and, more indirectly, to Europe.

In addition, an April 2011 article by Time reporter Tim Rogers explains that a booming tourism industry and immigration by Americans and Europeans have raised local consumer demand for drugs. Futhermore, there is a growing concern about the presence of Mexican cartels and even the possibility of the Colombian FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) operating within the country, which in fact, had an earlier presence in the country in the 1990s. The December 21, 2010 edition of the highly regarded defense e-newsletter Southern Pulse quotes a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) representative, Phillip Springer, as confirming that the Mexican Sinaloa cartel had established control over drug trafficking in Costa Rica. Springer also predicted that other organizations would expand their networks in the country because of Costa Rica’s lack of a standing army and its sub-par police force. For the Costa Ricans, the major fear is that other groups like the Zetas cartel will try to enter their country and begin a turf war with the Sinaloa cartel, bringing about major levels of inter-cartel violence. This has already happened in Guatemala and the fear is that the situation will repeat itself farther south.

In recent months, there have in fact been a number of indications of a growing presence of transnational criminal organizations in the Central American country. The accurate daily publication, Latin News, has reported that Costa Rican security forces carried out several major raids in late February 2011 in Alajuela, Cartago and San José. Three Mexican citizens were arrested and up to 319 kilograms of cocaine were seized. Costa Rican officials believe that the three foreigners are members of the Sinaloa Cartel. Also in February 2011, local police found the bodies of a couple known to be drug dealers in the neighborhood of El Progreso, in the Pacific port of Puntarenas. It is believed that they were killed over a debt owed to their Mexican bosses. Security experts explain that the flow of drugs partially operates like this: the drugs originate in Panama, go up the Pan-American Highway through Costa Rica, and enter Nicaragua through a number of remote crossings. In addition, Puntarenas port has become a major stopover for drug shipments by sea.

External Security: The Border Dispute with Managua Costa Rica’s border dispute with Nicaragua, in one sense, has been going on for over a century, although the present conflict erupted in October 2010 when Nicaraguan workers began a dredging operation in the bordering San Juan River. This resulted in the flooding of Costa Rican territory, which effectively moved the border into Managua’s hands. In addition, several Nicaraguan troops (reportedly less than two dozen) have been stationed on a narrow stretch of the disputed land near Calero Island, whose ownership is also in dispute. Meanwhile, San José has dispatched its police to the border and raised protests to the Organization of American States (OAS) as well as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague. As the plaintiff, Costa Rica has a December 5 deadline to present its case to the ICJ, while Nicaragua will have until August 6, 2012 to present its counter-arguments. Somewhat ironically, the Nicaraguan government has taken advantage of some errant Google Maps to justify its altering of the disputed border. While utilizing data from the U.S.

State Department for its global mapping, the internet giant mistakenly transferred 2.7km of Costa Rican territory to Nicaraguan jurisdiction. In November 2010, Google apologized for the incorrect cartographic projections and has since corrected the original error. Nonetheless, in early February 2011, the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies published a new “official” map of the country, with the boundaries of the disputed territory reflecting its own cartographic interests. In early March, in a preliminary ruling, the judges of the ICJ decided that neither country should send military or civilian personnel into the disputed zone until the ICJ gave a final ruling on who has jurisdiction. However, it allowed Costa Rica to send civilian personnel to “protect the environment.” Each country has claimed the interim ruling as a diplomatic victory. Although Costa Rica remains reluctant to give up any of the territory, President Chinchilla declared that she is willing to “normalize” relations with Nicaragua. Meanwhile, President Ortega stated that the resolution is positive and that there are no hard feelings towards the neighboring state. The resolution, from Nicaragua’s point of view, means that it can continue to divert some of the water of the San Juan River.

Nevertheless, the presence of Nicaraguan troops on disputed soil remains an issue, as Costa Rica continues to demand that Nicaragua remove its troops. At the same time, Managua argues that its military is there to fight drug trafficking and organized crime. Both countries appear to want to normalize relations, but neither seems willing to give in to the other’s demands. In early May, delegations from the two countries met in La Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala, to discuss inter-state police cooperation and how to combat drug trafficking across their borders. As reported by The Costa Rican News, the agreed protocol permits Costa Rican police boats to cross the maritime border while chasing drug-laden vessels without violating Nicaraguan sovereignty, and vice versa. The agreement states that the police forces on each side should notify the other side of pursuits across their common border. Such meetings and agreements are positive steps. Not all of the developments for a peaceful solution have been positive, however. In early April, Nicaragua denied an international environmental commission (part of the Secretaria de la Convención sobre Humedales – Secretariat for the Convention on Wetlands) permission to assess potential environmental damage as a result of Nicaraguan dredging.

As previously stated, the ICJ ruling said that Costa Rica could access the disputed area if it provided Managua with notification. Nicaragua argued that Costa Rica requested the authorization only two days in advance and did not sufficiently explain the reasons for the mission. Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, the PAC opposition party has complained to President Chinchilla about statements offered by now former Costa Rican Minister Tijerino, which insinuated that Nicaragua might resort to laying mines along its strategic delimitation and utilize its air force in order to more effectively secure the disputed territory. Such comments did not go over well with some Costa Rican politicians, as they did not help to improve relations between the two countries. At the end of January, the results of a CID-Gallup poll showed that Costa Ricans were more worried about the incident than the citizens of Nicaragua were. According to Insidecostarica.com, 91 percent of Nicaraguans believed that the conflict was over nothing more than unclear border limits, while 73 percent of Costa Ricans were convinced that their neighbor wanted to invade the country.

Interestingly, most Nicaraguans believe that Costa Rica has an army and it could invade their country, even though the “tico” security forces lack warplanes, tanks, or naval vessels to be a worthy foe. A Regional Perspective Costa Rica is trying to cope with several internal security issues in addition to the increased tensions with neighboring Nicaragua. It is important to consider that a state that has no military is by nature nonviolent. Simply put, it is hard to regard the country as aggressive, given its lack of traditional arsenal or weaponry and trained personnel. Should the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border dispute escalate (which is considered highly unlikely by most experts), it could be difficult for Nicaraguan President Ortega to not appear as an aggressor; considering that he has a relatively professional standing army behind his rhetoric.

In December 2010, President Chinchilla declared that “I want to remind ‘esos señores del norte’ (the gentlemen of the north) that only ‘cobardes‘ (cowards) are courageous against the defenseless.” A Costa Rican lawyer interviewed by COHA explained that the Costa Rican-Nicaraguan diferendum is very old and that he is confident that in no way is there any degree of realistic prospects for a violent confrontation to take place between the two countries. He explained that the border dispute is a historical one and both sides already know what diplomatic parlance to use without it affecting overall inter-state relations. This is particularly true for Nicaraguan President Ortega who is up for re-election and appears to be using the issue with Costa Rica to rally support for himself and divert attention from some of his unpopular domestic policies. Dr.

Booth explained to COHA that, “the country that has most threatened Costa Rica in the past is, in fact, Nicaragua, but the incidents [were] in 1948, 1953, and again during the Nicaraguan insurrection in 1978-1979 when Somoza was still in power.” So far, for all the tensions in 2010 and the presence of Nicaraguan troops in the disputed territory, all experts interviewed by COHA agreed that the ongoing situation will be solved diplomatically. The Costa Rican lawyer concluded by explaining that the Iraq War showed that in modern times, even a global power needs to provide the international community with justifications for going to war with another country. In any case, there is no justification for Nicaragua to invade an army-less state. By abolishing its military and carrying out a pacifist international role, San José has almost a bulletproof national security strategy at its disposal. Conclusions Synchronizing the country’s peaceful persona with its purportedly “friendly” diplomacy, helps portray Costa Rica as one of the countries least likely to act aggressively towards another neighboring state.

Certainly, the Costa Rican security forces with their present armaments and training arrangements cannot be regarded as an army. So far, the Central American state has not considered re-instituting its military, although the creation of its special border guards does suggest that San José recognizes additional highly-trained security forces may be a necessity. While a re-militarization is generally not desired, it is clear that the police, border guard and other security departments of this de-militarized state have their work cut out for them. Figueres symbolically destroying a portion of the military barracks. Source: The Arias Foundation ———————— Below is a response to this article: Costa Rica: A Peaceful Nation in a Region in need of Peaceful Solutions Your article entitled “ Costa Rica: An Army-less Nation in a Problem-Prone Region” by COHA Research Fellow Alex Sanchez essentially encourages the re-militarization of Costa Rica and advocates an armed solution to regional problems.

Although it is clear that problems in Central America have not been entirely resolved since the last time the US advocated a military solution to Central American problems—arguably the war against drugs in the region has even worsened the situation since the 1980s— the fact that COHA is encouraging an armed solution to regional problems is appalling. It is clear from the Mexican experience that an armed response to the regional drug problem is inadequate and only exacerbates existing problems. In effect, it is unclear whether Sanchez is advocating remilitarization of Costa Rica, the expansion of a U.S. military presence in the country or a massive rearmament of the national police. Any of these recommendations—coming from such a respected US think tank for the region as COHA— are reminiscent of language that was used by the United States government during the Central American war in the 1980s. Alex Sanchez’ s mocking of Costa Rica’ s “ peaceful persona” undermines the importance of the country’ s vanguard history. Costa Rica has become the most developed Central American country and this is due mainly to the abolition of its military forces and the reorientation of those funds towards education, health, environmental protection and infrastructure.

In 1869, the leaders of Costa Rica recognized the importance of education and it was one of the first countries where primary education became constitutionally compulsory and publicly financed. To brand Costa Rica’ s peaceful, institutionalized approach to conflict resolution and international relations as “ purportedly friendly diplomacy” that “ helps portray Costa Rica as one of the countries least likely to act aggressively towards another neighboring state” is to ignore the facts of history and to undermine the culture of peace that Costa Rica practices and that is so urgent all over the world today. In addition, the conclusion that Costa Rica should “ develop a stronger defense capacity to tackle growing security-related issues” because of “ the current border dispute with a state that possesses a relatively strong standing military” is quite a bold statement for COHA to make. The border dispute with Nicaragua outlined in Sanchez’ s report, as well as the internal crime situation and the drug war, are all issues that Costa Rica’ s government must find ways to manage. However, to suggest that in order to find a solution to this border dispute with Nicaragua, Costa Rica needs to compete with its neighbor’ s military strength is preposterous.

A military solution has never been Costa Rica’ s prerogative and it has a strong history of setting a precedent in the international community for considering alternative paths to armed conflict. Indeed, in the case of the Nicaraguan border dispute, Costa Rica has chosen first to find a peaceful solution within the Organization of American States and the International Court of Justice. At the same time President Chinchilla has called on Costa Ricans to abstain from offending or harassing the 500,000 Nicaraguans (12.5% of the Costa Rican population), around 90% of who live and work in Costa Rica illegally. To qualify Costa Rica’ s approach to conflict resolution as “ purportedly friendly” and to suggest that the country is “ portraying” itself as a peaceful nation is insulting. Instead, COHA should respect the reputation and history of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican identity and use it as an example to other less developed countries in the region as a manifestation of a nation able to solve problems without immediately grasping for a military solution. COHA should first and foremost look at what peaceful institutional solutions could be found for this border conflict, and other issues confronting Costa Rica today, instead of advocating an arms race.

It seems that COHA has either been influenced by the few extreme right-wing individuals in Costa Rica that want to use the current situation with Nicaragua to revive their longstanding aim of reestablishing military forces in the country, or it has developed a strategy to support US State Department and Pentagon bureaucrats in lobbying Costa Rica to accept US military forces to fight drug trafficking, to militarize the Costa Rican police by clandestinely training police personnel in military bases and to attempt to setup a military training base in Costa Rica. Otton Solis Kellogg Institute for International Affairs, University of Notre Dame Pamina Firchow Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame ———————— Essence Areanl Resort Spa CONTACT The Republic of 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. Its name translates literally as 'Rich Coast', was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army (1948). Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index .

The country is ranked 5th in the world, and 1st among the Americas , in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index . In 2007 the government stated that they want the country to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals . While the country has only about 0.1% of the world's landmass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity . Around 25% of the country's land area is in protected national parks national parks and protected areas , the largest percentage of protected areas in the world. South America Travel Information - South America Hotels Reservation - Asia Travel Top South Americans are culturally influenced by the historic connection with Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, and the impact of mass culture from the United States of America. South American nations have a rich variety of music. Some of the most famous genres include cumbia from Colombia, samba and bossa nova from Brazil, and tango from Argentina and Uruguay. Also well known is the non-commercial folk genre Nueva Canciï¿½n movement which was founded in Argentina and Chile and quickly spread to the rest of the Latin America.

People on the Peruvian coast created the fine guitar and cajon duos or trios in the most mestizo (mixed) of South American rhythms such as the Marinera (from Lima), the Tondero (from Piura), the 19th century popular Creole Valse or Peruvian Valse, the soulful Arequipan Yaravi, and the early 20th century Paraguayan Guarania. In the late 20th century, Spanish rock emerged by young hipsters influenced by British pop and American rock. Brazil has a Portuguese-language pop rock industry as well a great variety of other music genres. The literature of South America has attracted considerable critical and popular acclaim, especially with the Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s, and the rise of authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel Garcï¿½a Mï¿½rquez in novels, and Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges in other genres. Countries Argentina Top Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires.

It is the second largest country in South America and eighth in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico, Colombia and Spain are more populous. Its continental area is 2,766,890 square kilometres (1,068,300 sq mi), between the Andes mountain range in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east and south. Argentina borders Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south. Argentina also claimed 969,464 square kilometres (374,312 sq mi) of Antarctica, known as Argentine Antarctica, overlapping other claims made by Chile (Chilean Antarctic Territory) and the United Kingdom (British Antarctic Territory); all such claims have been suspended by the Antarctic Treaty of 1961. Argentina has the second highest Human Development Index level and the second highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in purchasing power parity in Latin America. Argentina's nominal GDP is the 30th largest in the world; but when purchasing power is taken into account, its total GDP makes it the 23rd largest economy in the world.

The country is currently classified as an Upper-Middle Income Country or as a secondary emerging market by the World Bank. Argentina is also one of the G-20 major economies. Costa Rica Top Costa Rica, officially the Republic of 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 translates literally as "Rich Coast", was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index. The country is ranked 5th in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index. In 2007 the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021. Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, 10ï¿½ North of the equator and 84ï¿½ West of the Prime Meridian.

It borders both the Caribbean Sea (to the east) and the North Pacific Ocean (to the west), with a total of 1,290 kilometers (802 mi) of coastline (212 km / 132 mi on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km / 631 mi on the Pacific Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north (309 km / 192 mi of border) and Panama to the south-southeast (639 km / 397 mi of border). In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq. mi) plus 589.000 square kilometers of territorial waters. Dominican Republic Top The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries, Saint Martin being the other.

Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean island nation (after Cuba), with 48,442 kmï¿½ and an estimated 9.5 million people. Inhabited by Taï¿½nos since the 7th century, the Dominican Republic was reached by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World. In Santo Domingo stand, among other firsts in the Americas, the first university, cathedral, and castle, the latter two in the Ciudad Colonial area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821 but was quickly taken over by Haiti. It attained independence in 1844, but mostly suffered political turmoil and tyranny, and as well a brief return to Spanish rule, over the next 72 years.

United States occupation 1916-24 and a subsequent, calm 6ï¿½year period were followed by the military dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina to 1961. The last civil war, in 1965, ended with U.S. intervention, followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquin Balaguer, to 1978. Since 1978, the Dominican Republic has moved strongly toward representative democracy. The Dominican Republic has also adopted a liberal economic model, which has made it perhaps the largest economy in the region. Though long known for sugar production, the economy is now dominated by services. The country's economic progress is exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system. Nevertheless, unemployment, government corruption, income maldistribution, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems. Mexico Top The United Mexican States, is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico.

Covering almost 2 million square kilometres, Mexico is the fifth-largest country in the Americas by total area and the 14th largest independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of 109 million it is the 11th most populous country. Mexico is a federation comprising thirty-one states and a Federal District, the capital city. In the Pre-Columbian era complex cultures began to form in Mesoamerica. Many matured into advanced civilizations such as the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Maya and the Aztec before the first contact with Europeans. Mexico became a colony of Spain from the landing of Hernï¿½n Cortï¿½s in 1521 until its independence in 1821. The post-independence period was characterized by economic instability, territorial secession and civil war, including foreign intervention, two empires and two long domestic dictatorships. The latter led to the Mexican Revolution in 1910, which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country's current political system.

Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time that an opposition party won the presidency from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Institucional, PRI). As a regional power and the only Latin American member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 1994, Mexico is firmly established as an upper middle-income country, considered as a newly industrialized country and has the 11th largest economy in the world by GDP by purchasing power parity. The economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners. Despite being considered an emerging power, the uneven income distribution and the increase in drug-related violence are issues of concern. Panama Top Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The capital is Panama City.

Panama is an international business center, and although it is only the fourth largest economy in Central America, after Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador, it is the fastest growing economy and the largest per capita consumer in Central America. There are several theories about the origin of the name "Panama". Some believe that the country was named after a commonly found species of tree. Others believe that the first settlers arrived in Panama in August, when butterflies abound, and that the name means "many butterflies" in indigenous tongue. The best known of these versions is that a village populated by fishermen originally bore the name PANAMï¿½, after a beach nearby, and that this name meant "many fish". Panama's politics take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Panama is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Puerto Rico Top Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: "Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" ï¿½ literally Associated Free State of Puerto Rico), is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is composed of an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands and keys, the largest of which are Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. The main island of Puerto Rico is the smallest by land area and second smallest by population among the four Greater Antilles, which also include Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica. Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen, from Borikï¿½n, its indigenous Taï¿½no name. The terms boricua and borincano derive from Borikï¿½n and Borinquen respectively, and are commonly used to identify someone of Puerto Rican heritage. The island is also popularly known as "La Isla del Encanto", which translated means "The Island of Enchantment." Puerto Rico has a republican form of government, subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty.

Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution. Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States. The government of Puerto Rico, based on the formal republican system, is composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is headed by the Governor, currently Mr. Luis Fortuï¿½o. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Legislative Assembly made up of a Senate upper chamber and a House of Representatives lower chamber. The Senate is headed by the President of the Senate, while the House of Representatives is headed by the Speaker of the House. The judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. The legal system is a mix of the civil law and the common law systems. The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate. Puerto Rico is represented in the United States Congress by a nonvoting delegate, formally called a Resident Commissioner (currently Pedro Pierluisi).

Current legislation has returned the Commissioner's power to vote in the Committee of the Whole, but not on matters where the vote would represent a decisive participation. Puerto Rican elections are governed by the Federal Election Commission.[27][28] While residing in Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections, but they can vote in primaries. Puerto Ricans who become residents of a U.S. state can vote in presidential elections. VidaCosta Spa el Puente Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of 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 translates literally as "Rich Coast", was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index. The country is ranked 5th in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index.

In 2007 the government of Costa Rica stated that they want Costa Rica to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica's climate is renowned as an atmospheric treat. Mild subtropical conditions prevail year-round, and discomforting temperature extremes and prolonged periods of gray are practically nonexistent. Temperature varies mainly according to elevation, the higher the cooler. The brunt of the rainy season lasts from May through November, while a brief dry spell pays a visit from February to April. Costa Rica's rain falls mainly on the Caribbean coast, giving the Pacific a much more arid climate. You might expect moderate temperatures, but the rugged mountain chain's effect on factors such as wind, and rain, creating many microclimates. Most people are surprised to learn that frost and ice can occur on some of the loftier peaks, such as Chirripo. Temperatures are somewhat higher on the Pacific side than on the Caribbean at the same elevation because there are more clouds on the Caribbean watershed year-round than on the Pacific. At sea level on either side, the annual average is always above 75°F. Some of the highest peaks average 54°F, though temperatures there can fall below freezing.

There is not spring, or fall times in Costa Rica. The seasons are called verano (summer) and invierno (winter).They are just a dry season (since December until April) and a rainy season (since May until November). Temperature has more variation from night to day than from verano to invierno. Difference in daily temperatures averages 14°F to 18°F. From November to January, cold breezes from the north funnel through the mountains of North America causing a little down in temperature. This is one of the few countries in the world in which polar air gets this close to the equator. The warmest months are March, April, and May, and the wettest months are September and October. Rainfall amounts vary from less than 59 inches to more than 190 inches during these months. The country's average rainfall pattern is in the range of 79 to 158 inches. Precipitation can come in the form of a tropical downpour with impressive lightning and thunder (aguacero), steady rain, or the less common, a continuous light rain for several days (temporal). Even in the rainy season, rain will not fall all day, every day.

It usually begins in early afternoon in the Central Valley and other highland areas, but later in the afternoon in the Pacific lowlands. Each season has its own beauty and unique characteristics. In wetter times the flora is profuse, with a vibrant life that gets into the soul. In the dry season the background is perfect for orchids, bougainvilleas, reina de la noche (queen of the night), as well as for colorful trees that flower only then. Costa Rica can boast that it is the country with the highest percentage (25%) of its territory designated as protected areas: Forest Reserves, Biological Reserves, Nature Shelters, and of course, National Parks. These are another good reasons why many Europeans and North Americans, other than vacationing, have made this land their home being nowadays around 1% of the Costa Rican population. Geography Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, 10° North of the equator and 84° West of the Prime Meridian.

It borders both the Caribbean Sea (to the east) and the North Pacific Ocean (to the west), with a total of 802 miles of coastline 132 miles on the Caribbean coast and 631 miles on the Pacific Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north (192 miles of border) and Panama to the south-southeast (397 miles of border). In total, Costa Rica comprises 19,730 square miles (an area comparable in size to Denmark or West Virginia) plus 227 square miles of territorial waters. The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó, at 12,532 ft, and is the fifth highest peak in Central America. The highest volcano in the country is the Irazú Volcano (11,257 ft). The largest lake in Costa Rica is Lake Arenal. Costa Rica also comprises several islands. Cocos Island stands out because of its distance from continental landmass (300 miles from Puntarenas coast), but Calero Island is the largest island of the country (58.5 square miles). Government Costa Rica is a democratic republic with a strong constitution.

Although there are claims that the country has had more than 115 years of uninterrupted democracy, their presidential election history shows otherwise. Nonetheless, the country has had at least fifty-nine years of uninterrupted democracy, making it one of the most stable countries in the region. Costa Rica has been able to avoid the widespread violence that has plagued most of Latin America. Costa Rica is a republic with three powers: executive responsibilities are vested in a president, legislative power is vested on the Legislative Assembly, and Judicial power is vested on the Supreme Court. There are two vice presidents as well as a cabinet designated by the president. The president, vice presidents, and fifty-seven Legislative Assembly delegates are elected for four-year terms. A constitutional amendment approved in 1969 limited presidents and delegates to one term, although delegates were allowed to run again for an Assembly seat after sitting out a term. Certain autonomous state agencies enjoy considerable operational independence; they include the telecommunications and electrical power monopoly, the nationalized commercial banks, the state insurance monopoly, and the social security agency. Costa Rica has no military by constitution.

Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces; Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, and San José. Tourism Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 1999, tourism earns more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1 million in 1999, to 2 million foreign visitors in 2008, allowing the country to earn $2.2-billion in that year. In 2005, tourism contributed with 7.9% of the country's GDP, 22.3% of foreign exchange generated by all exports, and was responsible for 13.3% of direct and indirect employment.

Since the late 1980s Costa Rica became a popular nature travel destination, and its main competitive advantage is its well-established system of national parks and protected areas, covering around 23,4% of the country's land area, the largest in the world as a percentage of the country's territory, and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, in a country that has only 0.03% of the world's landmass, but that is estimated to contain 5% of the world's biodiversity. The country also has plenty of beaches, both in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, within short travel distances, and also several volcanoes that can be visited with safety. By the early 1990s, Costa Rica became to be known as the poster child of ecotourism, with tourist arrivals reaching an average annual growth rate of 14% between 1986 to 1994.

With a US$1.97-billion-a-year tourism industry, Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region, with 1.974 million foreign visitors in 2007, thus reaching in 2007 a rate of foreign tourists per capita of 422 visitors per thousand inhabitants, one of the highest within the Caribbean Basin countries, and above other popular travel destinations such as Mexico (210), Dominican Republic (380), and Brazil (30). Despite of the global financial crisis, the number of tourists visiting Costa Rica in 2008 reached a historical 2 million landmark, and tourist-related income grew to US$ 2.2 billion. Ecotourism is extremely popular with the many tourists visiting the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. Costa Rica was a pioneer in this type of tourism and the country is recognized as one of the few with real ecotourism. As of 2006, a total of 54% international tourists visited national parks or protected areas, visiting at least two such natural refuges, and it goes up to three for European visitors.

Developed in 1997 by the Costa Rican Board of Tourism, the public agency responsible for tourism development and regulation in the country, a voluntary Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program (known as CST) was introduced in order to turn "the concept of sustainability into something real" by "improving the way in which the natural and social resources are utilized, to motivate the active participation of the local communities, and to support the competitiveness of the business sector." The program was aimed for all types of businesses in the tourism industry, but it began only with lodging providers. By 2007, a total of 108 parameters are considered for the CST evaluation. As of June 2008, out of 3,000 hotels and tours operators, only 94 have a Certification for Sustainable Tourism. Some tour operators in the U.S. and Europe promote several small hotels that hold this certification through their travel packages. Flora and fauna One national park that is internationally renowned among ecologists for its biodiversity (including big cats and tapirs) and where visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife is the Corcovado National Park.

Corocovado is the one park in Costa Rica where all four Costa Rican monkey species can be found. These include the White-headed Capuchin, the Mantled Howler and the endangered Geoffroy's Spider Monkey. They also include the Central American Squirrel Monkey, which is found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part of Panama, and was considered endangered until 2008 when its status was upgraded to vulnerable. Tortuguero National Park  the name Tortuguero can be translated as "Full of Turtles" - is home to spider, howler and white-throated Capuchin monkeys, the three-toed sloth, 320 species of birds, and a variety of reptiles, but the park is recognized for the annual nesting of the endangered green turtle and is the most important nesting site for the species. Giant leatherback, hawksbill, and loggerhead turtles also nest there. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to about 2,000 plant species, including numerous orchids. Over four hundred types of birds and over one hundred species of mammals can be found there. As a whole, around eight hundred species of birds have been identified in Costa Rica.

The Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad is allowed to collect royalties on any biological discoveries of medical importance. Costa Rica and parts of Panama are home to the vulnerable Central American Squirrel Monkey. Deforestation, illegal pet-trading and hunting are the main reasons for its threatened status. Costa Rica is also a center of biological diversity for reptiles and amphibians, including the world's fastest living lizard, the spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis). Main natural attractions National Parks and Biological Reserves Cocos Island, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a top nominee in the contest to chose the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature. Area de Conservación Guanacaste, UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Amistad International Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Border Costa Rica-Panama Corcovado National Park La Selva Biological Station, Organization for Tropical Studies (Private Reserve) Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Monteverde, Puntarenas (Private Reserve) Volcanoes Poás Volcano at Poas Volcano National Park, Alajuela. Irazú Volcano at Irazu National Park, Cartago. Arenal Volcano at Arenal National Park, Alajuela.

Turrialba Volcano, at Turrialba Volcano National Park, Cartago. Tenorio Volcano National Park, where the popular Rio Celeste (Light Blue River) is located, Guanacaste. Rincón de la Vieja at Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Guanacaste. Beaches Manuel Antonio Beach at Manuel Antonio National Park Cahuita Beach at Cahuita National Park, Limón Puerto Viejo Beach, Talamanca, Limón Manzanillo Beach, Limón Zancudo Beach, Puntarenas Religion Christianity is the predominant religion in Costa Rica, and Roman Catholicism is the official state religion as guaranteed by the constitution of 1949. Some 84% of Costa Ricans are Christian, and like many other parts of Latin America, Evangelical Protestant denominations have been experiencing rapid growth. However, 70% still adhere to Roman Catholicism. Ironically prostitution is not illegal, but many of the activities surrounding it are indeed illegal, such as pimping. Demographics Costa Rica has a population of 4,133,884.

The combined white and Mestizo groups constitute 94% of the population, while 3% are Black/Afro-Caribbean, 1% Amerindian, 1% Chinese and 1% are of other ethnic groups. The exact breakdown, however, is not known because the Costa Rican census combines whites and Mestizos in one category. The white population is primarily of Spaniard ancestry with significant numbers of Costa Ricans of Italian, German, Jewish and Polish descent. Just under 3% of the population is of black African descent. The majority of the Afro-Costa Ricans are Creole English-speaking descendants of nineteenth century black Jamaican immigrant workers, as well as slaves who were brought during the Atlantic slave trade. The indigenous or Amerindian population numbers around 1%, or over 41,000 individuals. A significant portion of the population descends from a bi-racial mix of local Amerindians and Spaniards; most live in secluded Indian reservations in the Cordillera de Talamanca or Guanacaste. There is also an expatriate community of people from the United States, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Britain, and other countries.

Costa Rica has one of the highest literacy rates (over 90%) in the Americas. References Costa Rica | Essence Arenal Essence Arenal Volunteer Costa Rica The Republic of 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. Its name translates literally as ‘Rich Coast’, was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army (1948). Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index . The country is ranked 5th in the world, and 1st among the Americas , in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index . In 2007 the government stated that they want the country to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals . While the country has only about 0.1% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity .

Around 25% of the country’s land area is in protected national parks national parks and protected areas , the largest percentage of protected areas in the world. Costa Rica SANTA ANA, COSTA RICA: City of Peace, welcomes you! CITY OF PEACE CASE STUDY OF HOW CITIZENS ARE CREATING AN INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE IMAGINE THE POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR CHILDREN AS THEY EMBRACE THEIR CITY'S LEGACY OF PEACE. Santa Ana, Costa Rica: City of Peace Welcome citizens of Santa Ana, Costa Rica: City of Peace. Costa Rica took its first step as a peace leader by abolishing the death penalty in 1871. In 1948, a new Constitution abolished the army. Many other developments in the country's peacemaking efforts are described below. CONSTITUTION OF COSTA RICA The year 1948 was the major turning point toward peace in the history of Costa Rica. After a 44-day civil war, José Figueres became the provisional president (chief of a de facto joint government) and was instrumental in writing Costa Rica's new constitution.

In it, he abolished the army, making Costa Rica the first country in the world to do so. The new constitution also established free elections, guaranteed public education, gave women the right to vote, and granted full citizenship to the Afro-Caribbean population. The constitution also provided citizen rights that were ahead of their time, including a progressive labor code, a system of social security and a set of social guarantees. This strong peace-based constitution provided a stable and just foundation for Costa Rican society, which helped the country avoid the violence that has plagued other Central American countries. These factors resulted in Costa Rica becoming one of the most democratic and prosperous countries in Latin America. In the 1980s when Nicaragua was engaged in civil war, Costa Rica was pressured by the United States to let Americans build military bases for the Contras, a guerilla group trained and armed by the CIA. To escape this pressure, President Luis Alberto Monge declared that it was the policy of Costa Rica to remain neutral in international conflicts. This policy was formally adopted as Article 7 of the Constitution in November 1983.

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE In another gesture that demonstrated Costa Rica's devotion to peace, in 1980 President Rodrigo Carazo facilitated the donation of Costa Rican land to found the United Nations University for Peace, approved by the 35th General Assembly of the UN. The mission of the university (UPeace) is to "provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace with the aims of promoting among all human beings a spirit of understanding, lessening threats to world peace and progress, and keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations." United Nations University for Peace President Carazo also proposed a UN resolution for an International Day of Peace to be celebrated as a global ceasefire on the opening day of the UN session each year. This resolution was passed in 1981. Then in 2001, a new resolution was proposed by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica, resetting the date to September 21st each year. The resolution passed unanimously and this International Day of Peace is now celebrated around the world.

ESQIPULAS II PEACE AGREEMENT In 1986, Oscar Arias became President of Costa Rica at a time marked by intense conflict and civil war in Central America. Under his leadership, the five Central American presidents signed the Esquipulas II Peace Agreement in 1987. This agreement provided for a national reconciliation, an end to hostilities, democratization, free elections, resettlements of refugees and negotiations on arms control in all Central American countries. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize for this achievement. Oscar Arias In 1997, a law for the Alternative Resolution of Conflicts and Promotion of Peace was passed. This law requires peace education in every school and also establishes the legal basis for alternative methods of conflict resolution, such as mediation. Costa Rica has been a leader in establishing international human rights instruments, such as the American Convention of Human Rights, and it is the seat of the Inter-American Court on Human Rights.

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND PEACE On May 29, 2006, Rita Marie Johnson, founder of the Rasur Foundation, presented a proposal to Rodrigo Arias, Minister of the Presidency to add "Peace" to the title of the Ministry for Justice and empower that ministry to lead peace efforts in Costa Rica. It was embraced by Minister Rodrigo Arias and President Oscar Arias and was then written as a bill. In this process, the bill evolved into a National System for the Promotion of Peace. This legislation was signed by 19 of the 57 congressional representatives and submitted to the Legislative Assembly on November 2nd, 2006. The bill passed unopposed on August 19th, 2009. The Costa Rican government hosted the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace in September 2009, which was attended by over 200 participants from 41 countries. The city of Santa Ana was one of the sponsors of the Summit. As a developing country, Costa Rica struggles with many modern-day issues, including escalating violence. However, its history and current efforts clearly demonstrate an ongoing identity with peace.

With the steps that Costa Rica has taken in recent years, its model of peace infrastructure has been strengthened. Santa Ana is a city that recognizes the value of peace and is one of the most prosperous villages in the country. The Rasur Foundation has implemented a program in Costa Rican schools called SerPaz (BePeace). At this time, 40,000 students have been impacted. Santa Ana supports the program through donations. Consequently, all of the teachers in Santa Ana schools have been trained in this peace practice. Nancy Marin < nancyboom@gmail.com > SANTA ANA, COSTA RICA (excerpted from Wikipedia) Santa Ana is a city in the Central District of Santa Ana, Santa Ana Canton, San José Province, Costa Rica. It is located at around 9°56′N 84°11′WCoordinates: 9°56′N 84°11′W. The city acts as seat to the municipal government of the Santa Ana Canton. Since the Central District is mostly comprised by the city of Santa Ana, they are often treated interchangeably.

The Central District of Santa Ana has an approximate population of 11,775 (2011), accounting for approximately 20% of the county's population. It is currently the second most populous district in the Santa Ana Canton after the district of Pozos. Costa Rica, meaning "rich coast" in Spanish, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Stone sphere created by the Diquis culture in the courtyard of the National Museum of Costa Rica. The sphere is the icon of the country's cultural identity Costa Rica constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949. It is the only Latin American country to have been a democracy since 1950 or earlier. Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in the Human Development Index (HDI), ranked 62nd in the world in 2012.

Costa Rica was cited by the United Nations United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2010 as one of the countries that have attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels and, in 2011, was highlighted by UNDP for being a good performer on environmental sustainability and having a better record on human development and inequality than the median of their region. It was also the only country to meet all five criteria established to measure environmental sustainability. The country is ranked fifth in the world, and first among the Americas, in terms of the 2012 Environmental Performance Index. In 2007, the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021. The New Economics Foundation (NEF) ranked Costa Rica first in its 2009 Happy Planet Index, and once again in 2012. The NEF also ranked Costa Rica in 2009 as the greenest country in the world.[19] In 2012, Costa Rica became the first country in the American continent to ban recreational hunting after the country's legislature approved the popular measure by a wide margin.

The city of Santa Ana still maintains its traditional feel of a typical Costa Rican town with its small stores, bars, restaurants offering local and international cuisine and Sunday fresh fruit and vegetable markets. Nonetheless, Santa Ana has been recently experiencing real estate and commercial development unprecedented in the entire Central Valley. It has become the place of choice with upscale grocery stores, gourmet restaurants, banks, gas stations, medical and dental clinics, beauty salons, coffee houses, hotels, private schools, and small commercial centers springing up everywhere. The city itself is within a few minutes of the surging business locale of Lindora, in the Pozos district, adding to the availability of commercial, lodging and residential areas. DO YOU THINK YOUR COMMUNITY CAN BE A CITY OF PEACE? SEND AN EMAIL !

Question: In 1948, which Latin American country became the first in the world to constitutionally abolish its army?
Answer: Costa Rica