When Spanish explorers landed on the coast of Central America, they found Amerindian tribes wearing gold jewelry. As a result, the named the region Costa Rica, Spanish for "rich coast." The Spaniards would find Costa Rica to be relatively poor in the resources they desired, particularly gold and silver. However, the country is rich in breathtaking natural beauty, including tall mountains and volcanoes, white beaches, plunging waterfalls, tropical islands, and cool green jungles that contain an amazing variety of biodiversity. Costa Rica is an isthmus, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast. It is home to more than 4.6 million people. Today, Costa Rica is considered one of the most stable, prosperous, and progressive nations in Latin America. There's a lot to discover about Costa Rica!