A key feature of the Costa Rican identity is natural conservation. Costa Rica has just over twenty-five percent of its national territory declared as protected. One and a half million acres belongs to National Parks, a full twelve percent of the total area of the country. Forest reserves, wildlife refuges, and protected zones occupy and additional eleven percent of the nation's land with well over a million acres devoted to those areas. Protected wetlands, mangroves, and biological reserves comprise most of the rest of protected acreage. In total, Costa Rica has one hundred and sixty-one designated protected areas. It is no wonder that Costa Rica is viewed as one of the most progressive countries in the world in regards to natural preservation.

The National Parks and Wildlife Refuges of Costa Rica are managed by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). In 1998, the nation was divided into eleven Conservation Areas to oversee and manage the public lands of Costa Rica. These areas are known as the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC).
There are twenty-five National Parks in Costa Rica, fifty-eight Wildlife Refuges, thirty-two Protected Zones, eleven Forest Reserves, fifteen protected Wetlands and Mangrove areas, and eight Biological Reserves.

Far and away, the most popular of these destinations for visitors are Costa Rica's National Parks. Nineteen of them are listed below. These are the most popular, most accessible, and the best designed to accept visitors.