Costa Rica, famous for being the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army, is located south of Nicaragua and north of Panama in Central America. Costa Rica, popularly known as the Switzerland of the Americas, has avoided the violent histories suffered by its neighbors. With over 25% of its territory protected in parks and reserves, and the greatest number of species per square mile in the world, Costa Rica has become the Mecca of eco-tourists.

Colombia, the fourth largest and one of the most populated countries of South America, is the only South American country with coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. To the northwest of the Caribbean coastline, Colombia also has the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina. The geography of Colombia’s mainland includes four major regions: the Andean highlands, where nearly 80% of all Colombians live, the Pacific lowlands, the Caribbean lowlands, and, in the east covering more than 50% of the country, savannas and tropical rainforests. Colombia is rich in natural resources such as oil, gold, silver, and emeralds.

Peru, where many Incan and pre-Incan sites have been recovered and preserved, is one of the world’s greatest testimonies to past civilizations and a virtual playground for archeologists. The lands of Peru were once the center of the largest indigenous civilization of the Americas, the sun-worshiping Incas. Peru continues to be a land of awe and wonder with tales of treasures, mysterious places, and a rich cultural heritage.