Epic Adventures Costa Rica is quite proud that it abolished its army 73 years ago. Costa Rica boldly dissolved its national army 73 years ago, on December 1st.
As a locally owned tour company in the stunning Manuel Antonio and Quepos regions, we reflect on how this unexpected decision defined Costa Rica’s identity as a peaceful, democratic society committed to education, eco-values, and sustainability.
Our staff takes great delight in showing curious visitors Costa Rica’s breathtaking scenery, beaches, and animals. Travelers can explore the rainforests and vast biodiversity with confidence since Costa Rica invests in conservation rather than defense.
If Costa Rica had not eliminated its military, scarce resources may have been redirected away from the nature and beauty that eco-tourists visit.
Costa Rica stands in stark contrast to neighboring countries afflicted by civil wars for decades and dictatorships due to its absence of military forces. While other Central American countries have seen unrest in recent decades, Costa Rica has had almost 70 years of continuous democracy and peace.
Costa Ricans are convinced that removing the military prevents destabilizing strongmen from seizing power and derailing social development. Instead, our country has proudly prioritized universal education, renewable energy, and exceptional environmental preservation. Conservation land covers over one-third of Costa Rica’s beautiful country. Natural resource-based clean energy accounts for 99% of our power production.
Our 96% literacy rate allows us to provide excellent tourism services. The abolition of the army allowed for significant expenditures in sectors such as sustainability, which create our national identity and feed the eco-tourism business in which Epic Adventures Costa Rica participates.
We strongly support Costa Rica’s continued neutrality, as we have never accepted armed troops or joined military alliances. Costa Rica’s lack of an army has provided an essential platform for advocating peaceful, diplomatic solutions during times of regional instability. This connects strongly with the population’s pacifist identity, which prioritizes environmental measures over military ones.
Even with mounting security worries, resurrecting an army is unpopular among Costa Ricans, who are aware of the social gains gained over the past 70 years without one. Epic Adventures Costa Rica considers itself fortunate to work in a country that prioritizes ecological and peacebuilding before armaments and military.
Businesses like ours that cater to tourists help Costa Rican communities protect the environment for future generations.
We cannot see re-establishing armed forces taking resources away from conservation. That would contradict the reason why so many eco-tourists visit Costa Rica in the first place.
On December 1st, we commemorate the abolition of Costa Rica’s military as a watershed moment in defining our exceptional national character. Costa Rica’s strong environmental policies and social investments shape everything tourism enterprises like ours are glad to offer guests, from eco-lodges to sustainable tours. This holiday season, we urge visitors to come learn firsthand about Costa Rica’s unique commitment to demilitarization, education, and sustainability—the core of pura vida!
