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 acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994); First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994); Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994); election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held February 1998); results - President FIGUERES (PLN party) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC party) 47.5%
cabinet: Cabinet; selected by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa): elections last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held February 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (61 total) PLN 28, PUSC 29, minority parties 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party (PLN), Manuel AGUILAR Bonilla; Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier; Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto VARGAS Carbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick ARDON Ramirez; Progressive Party (PP), Isaac Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin CHACON Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose ECHEVERRIA Brealey
Other political or pressure groups: Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party affiliate); Confederated Union of Workers (CUT, Communist Party affiliate); Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD, Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for Economic Development (ANFE); Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL, rightwing militants); National Association of Educators (ANDE)
Member of: AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gonzalo FACIO Segreda
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 234-2945
FAX: (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Austin and Raleigh
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Joseph BECELIA
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 20-39-39
FAX: (506) 20-2305

Flag: 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 red band

NOTE: The information regarding Costa Rica on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Costa Rica Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Costa Rica Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.