On December 1st, 1949, Costa Rica became one of the few countries in history to abolish its armed forces.  In a symbolic ceremony at the National Museum, the former army headquarters, Costa Rica celebrated the anniversary. This is the same site where then President José Figueres Ferrer symbolically smashed a sledgehammer against the walls of the fort, before handing it over for peaceful purposes.

This action allowed Costa Rica to channel its investment into education and development, rather than wasting it on armed forces. This also helped Costa Rica avoid military coups and civil wars that were prevalent in Latin America throughout the 1970s and 1980s.  Currently Costa Rica enjoys one of the highest indexes of development in Latin America, a direct result of its investment in education, infrastructure and social services.

Happy Anniversary Costa Rica!