Costa Rica is proud to protect a large amount of its land – about 13,000 square kilometers (5,019 square miles) – in national parks and reserves.

Since 1970, Costa Rica has developed a wide network of national parks, which are administered by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC). Since 1994, SINAC has been part of the Ministry for the Environment and Energy, and is in charge of maintenance, organization, and strategic planning of all protected areas around the country.

SINAC is responsible for 28 national parks, as well as various biological and forest reserves. Costa Rica’s protected areas conserve hundreds of plant and animal species, among them birds, amphibians, insects, fish, plants and fungi. Additionally, SINAC administers many areas of geological, architectural and historical interest that are subject to study by many institutions from around the world. Some of our species are considered to be very important, since many are in danger of extinction due to habitat destruction.

National Parks List:

http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/parques_nacionales/index.asp