Central America may not be the first place people think about when planning a safe and fun vacation. The history of the area has been rife with political problems, military uprisings and dictatorships. There is, though, one country in the area that put all that to bed in the late 1940s and have since enjoyed a period of peace and stability unknown in the rest of Central America.
The country that we're focusing on, is naturally, the lush and scenic locale of Costa Rica. Costa Rica didn't always have things so good, even though the country enjoys a democracy today. Costa Rica has endured two fairly recent periods of upheaval. The first was the dictatorial rule of General Federico Tinoco Granados from 1917 to 1919. Tinoco was eventually overthrown and driven into exile. As a result of Tinoco's reign there was a decrease in the political strength, size and wealth of the military.
The next, and bloodiest, period of conflict occurred in the late 1940s. An election between incumbent president Rafael Angle Calderon Guardia and Otilio Ulate Blanco was disputed, and this led to unrest and armed conflict. Blanco won the election by 10,000 votes, but the congress, which was controlled by Calderon, declared Blanco's votes null and void.
At this point Calderon seized power, which in turn instigated a coup led by the popular Jose Figueres Ferre. The revolution was on and Calderon's forces consisted of the Costa Rica army and a communist guerrilla militia. Jose Figueres Ferre and his rebel forces were not to be outdone and after fourty-four days and 2000 deaths the revolution was over and the Costa Rican military was defeated.
Ferre instituted the model for democracy that still exists in Costa Rica, and he avoided setting himself up as a long-term leader; he remained in power for one year only. Ferre returned power to the previously elected Blanco in 1949, when in a surprise move, he gave up his presidency. Today, Ferre is treated as a national hero in Costa Rica.
It is interesting to note that Ferre did, on three occasions, hold the position of President of Costa Rica. He served a brief term from 1948-1949 (as mentioned earlier) and full terms in 1953-1958 and 1970-1974. During his time in office, the three most noteworthy things he accomplished were the removable of the Costa Rican army, nationalizing the banking sector and giving blacks and women the right to vote.
Around the world and in Central America specifically, Costa Rica is today a model for democracy. Since Ferre, there have been thirteen presidential elections that have been well received by the international community as being fair and transparent.
In addition to the democratic reforms, Costa Rica can also boast an excellent healthcare system. It has the second highest life expectancy in the Americas, higher even than the United States. The average life expectancy in Costa Rica is 79.3 years (as of 2010). There is even a region in Costa Rica (the Nicoya Peninsula) that has been designated a Blue Zone. A Blue Zone is defined as and area where life expectancy past the age of 100 is not uncommon.
The education reforms that occurred in Costa Rica were also partly due to Ferre. In 1949, after the army was dismantled, it was said that the "army would be replaced with an army of teachers." Costa Rica has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America at almost 95%. Both elementary and high school have mandatory attendance. For those wishing to continue their education there is an enviable university system there, as well as financial aid to help students from poor families.
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