Costa Rica's land area is only 1.5 times that of Taiwan, and the average income of its citizens is only US$2,600. Nevertheless, one out of every four acres of the country's land is national parks and forests, and eight percent of the land is "specially designated protected area," primitive forest restricted from public access. Costa Rica has carefully preserved its precious natural resources.

In the Braulio Carrillo National Park, a 45-minute car ride from Costa Rica's capital of San Jose, there is an area of virgin tropical rain forest. At the entrance point to the non-restricted area of the park, a triangular warning sign is posted in the ground, declaring: "Please be careful: Ants crossing." If one bends over and carefully examines the ground, one may indeed discover a swarm of Zompopo ants marching in file one after the other, hefting leaves many times their own weight. Zompopo ants are diligent farmers that roam far and wide, plucking and collecting specific kinds of leaves. They then chew the leaves into little pieces, to cultivate the fungus D. Hongas on which they thrive.

More precious than gold

Costa Rica has 24 different national parks like Braulio Carrillo that harbor vast varieties of rare animals and plants. For instance, Tortuguero National Park in northern Costa Rica is the home of many green turtles. Iraz* National Park is famous for its arresting panorama of volcanic topography.

The species and varieties of birds here are more numerous than those in the entire North American continent, and the number of butterfly species surpasses all of Africa. In the past, the Spanish, hungry for gold, failed to discover hidden treasure in Costa Rica, yet the natural treasures of this country can only lead one to voice words of praise for the land.

The Costa Rican government has made preserving these treasures a top priority. Even though the average income of Costa Ricans is only about one-fourth of that of the Taiwanese, the government does not welcome industries which produce environmental pollution or irreparably damage the environment. The industries which the government of Costa Rica does welcome are tourism, agriculture, sustainable forestry and the development of non-tradi- tional produce. As a result of this long-term public policy, tourism last year surpassed the traditional cash crops of coffee and bananas to become Costa Rica's number one source of foreign exchange.

The garden nation

According to a cultural development index of various countries throughout the world released by the United Nations in 1995, Costa Rica ranked 28th, the highest of all in Latin America. The arms-wielding soldiers that are common sights in many Central American countries are not to be seen at all in the streets of Costa Rica, which disbanded its military in 1949. Throughout the whole country, teachers outnumber policemen. The population is well educated, with attendance through junior high school totally free of charge. The country's literacy rate is as high as 90%. Grade school students can freely choose the school they wish to attend, and there are special schools in every state for physically or mentally handicapped students. Along with Argentina and Uruguay, Costa Rica has the most widespread education in all of Central and South America. Its environmental conservation policy and environmental education are fully integrated in people's lives.

The vegetables sold in the markets are organically grown, and trees are all protected by the government, whether they grow in the forest or in a person's yard. The indigenous plants and flowers that are cultivated at home must be registered, and those who unlawfully pick indigenous plants are punished by either fines or imprisonment. During the annual summer events of "National Nature Week," "Environmental Protection Day" and "National Park Day," groups of students under the direction of teachers take part in outdoor nature classes. For example, every year 12,000 students visit the grounds of the occupational training bureau, with which the ROC's Agricultural Mission cooperates, to learn how orchids are reintroduced into the wild.

Abounding with life

In Braulio Carrillo National Park, a cockatoo hops among the densely clustered trees. The national flower, the guaria morada, bears its purple blossoms in the trees. The plants on either side of the walking path are all indigenous species of Costa Rica.

Suddenly, in one stretch of woods, a tree comes into view that has been eaten completely bare by caterpillars. On the naked branches are suspended hundreds of little caterpillars. Gusto Vargas, director of the park's botanical area, explains that this species of caterpillar particularly loves the taste of this tree. Therefore, they don't chop down the tree, which would only cause the caterpillars to lose the object of their adoration and move on to the large trees that surround it. And they don't use pesticides to solve the problem either, because "Caterpillars will turn into butterflies!"

Endless vivid and charming stories of nature fill this little corner of the world called Costa Rica.

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Ant Crossing." This sign reveals the importance Costa Ricans attach to

environmental protection and tourism. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)