Costa Rica Government 1997

Country name
conventional long form : Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica

Data code CS

Government type democratic republic

National 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 9 November 1949

Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative actsin the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
chief of state : President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994); First Vice PresidentRodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPANMayufis (since 8 May 1994); note - president is both the chief of state andhead of government
head of government: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994); First Vice PresidentRodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPANMayufis (since 8 May 1994); note - president is both the chief of state andhead of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popularvote for four-year terms; election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be heldNA February 1998)
election results : Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen elected president; percent of vote - JoseMaria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%

Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; membersare elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 28, PUSC 25, minorityparties 4

Judicial branch Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year termsby the Legislative Assembly

Political parties and leaders National Liberation Party or PLN [Rolando ARAYA]; Social Christian UnityParty or PUSC [Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ]; National Agrarian Party or PAN; People's Party ofCosta Rica or PPC [Lenin CHACON Vargas]; Agricultural Union Party or PUAC[Juan Guillermo BRENES Castillo]; Democratic Force Party or FD [Isaac FelipeAZOFEIFA Bolanos]; People United [Humberto VARGAS Carbonell]; Patriotic FrontParty; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo GUTIERREZ)]

Political pressure groups and leaders Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (LiberationParty affiliate); Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate);Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate);Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for Economic Development orANFE; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Associationof Educators or ANDE; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP

International organization participation AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general : Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco,San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy: Pavas Road, 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 disk on the hoist side of the redband

NOTE: The information regarding Costa Rica on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Costa Rica Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Costa Rica Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.