Foreigners just love going to Costa Rica, and sometimes those planned short visits could make one ponder and consider the possibility of staying in the Central American country after retirement.

The 19,730 square mile nation is said to be the most visited at least in the Central American region. In year 2007 alone, it was reported that 1.9 million foreigners went to the country.

So what makes it attractive to foreigners? What makes Costa Rica one of the best places to retire? Was it the fact that it has a long history of uninterrupted democracy or political stability for the past 115 years?

Imagine you don't have to wake up every morning worrying that some places have been cordoned off because of protest march or look outside your bedroom window just to check if a civil war erupted during the night.

And while we are on the subject of safety, the crimes often recorded in Costa Rica are common ones such as automated teller machine thefts, robberies in public buses. Almost all countries have their own share of crime stories. It is a comfort to know that there are no terrorists lurking at night and preparing to take over the government.

So what makes it attractive to retirees? Was it the fact that the government and its people place a high premium on the environment? About 25 percent of the country's land area is in protected national parks and protected areas. It is home to a rich variety of plants and animals.

So what makes it attractive to foreign retirees?

Apart from the fact that the weather is good, cost of living is considered lower than its counterpart countries, offers low cost health care system and you could apply for it s residency program, which includes foreign retirees, for an affordable price of US$600 monthly generated income or pension.

The Costa Rican government has also reduced taxes on some cars and other imported goods, making them affordable for most natives as well as foreign residents.

These retirees, some of them pensioners, who are now living in the republic can avail of benefits such as access to Social Security, access to checking accounts and credit card service from some banks, would be allowed to establish in labor relationships, would be allowed to purchase telephone lines, would be allowed to purchase personal and business property and real estate. Add to that, you would not be stressed with worries that they would be stopped at Immigration checkpoints.

These are just some of the reasons that Costa Rica is such an attractive retirement option. Learn more about Costa Rica and other best places to retire - http://www.bestplacesretire.com/