Costa Rica stands out in the region of Central America by its long-standing and stable democracy and for its highly educated workforce. Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as ecotourism and nature preservation. Costa Rica has very successfully incorporated its natural resource in a sustainable way. A coast to both the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east diversifies the nature and explains the nearly 1000 bird species observed in the country. The national bird and the icon for this ecotourism is the Resplendent Quetzal.
