Plants and Animals

Costa Rica is home to over 9,000 identified species of plants, 900 different species of trees and even more are being discovered every year. In the cloud forests, such as Monteverde, plants absorb moisture from the mist. It is from these huge, misty forests that Costa Rica derives much of its water sources. Costa Rica has roughly 1,500 species of orchids, providing most of the world's supply of the plant.

The country is a key destination for many naturalists from all over the world, and its bird population is one of the main attractions.

Over 850 species of birds live in Costa Rica, far more than have been identified in North America, Europe or Australia.