Costa Rica is a country famous for its beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and vast diversity of flora and fauna. Because of this, culture across the country is just as diverse as its environment, creating a beautiful blend of many traditions and ways of life. The biodiversity of this country makes it a popular destination for tourism in Latin America. This is a major influence on the economy of the country and is also just one of the many reasons the Costa Rican government works so hard to protect the land.
Costa Rica is located in the southern region of Central America, below Nicaragua and above Panama. The country lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, contributing to the diversity of ecosystems from the east to west coasts. These ecosystems are further divided by a large mountain range that runs from north to south of Costa Rica, which also contributes to many different elevations and climates in the region. There are six active volcanos, with the tallest being Volcán Irazú at a whopping 3,432 meters (11,260 feet) tall. People living on the Nicoya Peninsula experience temperatures up to 37°C (100°F), while the mountainous regions of central Costa Rica can be as low as 10°C (50°F).
