Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
San Jose
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
7 November 1949
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
February 2006)
election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco];
Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation
Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M.
NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL];
National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party
or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]
note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3
February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant
percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist
Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of
Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
Brown]
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North
Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 220-2305
Flag description:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue
ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near
the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,
REPUBLICA COSTA RICA