Many reasons:  Costa Rica is a stable democracy-with free and open elections every four years.

Since 1949 it has no standing army.   Costa Rica does have  policemen,  however; they appear to be non aggressive and go about their jobs in a friendly manner.  What one does see (and this disturbs a lot of people) is private guards with guns  in front of most private and public places of businesses.  However,

we won’t expect to experience a military coup or see a dictator take over- like some of Costa Rica’s neighbors.

The weather is great, especially December thru April which is the dry season..very little rain.

Although many people who love rain come here May through November when we see sunshine in the morning and rain in the afternoons.

Above photo-Heliconia

Tourist come to experience the vast unspoiled outdoor adventure  Costa Rica has to offer.   The National parks and biological reserves, the secluded beaches, and breathe the cool clean air of the mountains.

For such a small country, Costa Rica has about twenty different and diverse ecosystems.  The government was very smart when it set aside 20% of it’s land surface for protected areas which are the more than twenty national parks and numerous biological reserves.

Costa Rica  is an agricultural country:  among its main crops-coffee, sugar cane, pineapples, papayas, and rice.  These products are  exported to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Of course the best known export is coffee which is excellent;  even Starbucks is a fan and purchases it’s organic coffee from Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican people are the country’s national treasure.  They are educated, polite, friendly and helpful.  Many of them speak English which is taught in school starting in the primary grades.

Many people come from around the world to retire in Costa Rica.  Many are  from US and Canada.  They come to live the simple life and a life somewhat less expensive than back home.  The weather is a big factor..all that sunshine and flowers, and warm rains.   Things we need as we grow older are available here at a reasonable cost.  A woman to live in your home, caring and cooking if you are not able to do it yourself, is affordable  (nothing like the cost in US)

Most importantly, North Americans and other nationalities  are genuinely welcome in Costa Rica.