Costa Rica NONE 26

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance from Indigenous populations, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two-and-a-half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica was one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. General Federico TINOCO Granados led a coup in 1917, but the threat of US intervention pushed him to resign in 1919. In 1948, landowner Jose FIGUERES Ferrer raised his own army and rebelled against the government. The brief civil war ended with an agreement to allow FIGUERES to remain in power for 18 months, then step down in favor of the previously elected Otilio ULATE. FIGUERES was later elected twice in his own right, in 1953 and 1970. Costa Rica experienced destabilizing waves of refugees from Central American civil wars in the 1970s and 1980s, but peace in the region has since helped the economy rebound. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technolog…

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

total : 51,100 sq km land: 51,060 sq km water: 40 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

hydropower

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m) is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city, as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba

total: 5,304,932 (2025 est.) male: 2,654,314 female: 2,650,618

White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)

Spanish (official), English major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)

deforestation, largely from clearing land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

presidential republic

name: San Jos geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish settlers originally named the city Villa Nueva in 1736; it was later renamed for Saint Joseph

chief of state: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022) head of government: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president election/appointment process: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote (40% threshold) for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms) most recent election date: 6 February 2022, with a runoff on 3 April 2022 election results: 2022: Rodrigo CHAVES Robles elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 27.3%, Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 16.8%, Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PNR) 14.9%, Eliecer FEINZAIG Mintz (PLP) 12.4%, Lineth SABORIO Chaverri (PUSC) 12.4%, Jose Maria VILLALTA Florez-Estrada 8.7% (PFA), other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 52.8%, Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 47.2% 2018: Carlos ALVARADO Quesada elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 25%; Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 21.6%; Antonio ALVAREZ (PLN) 18.6%; Rodolfo PIZA (PUSC) 16%; Juan Diego CASTRO (PIN) 9.5%; Rodolfo HERNANDEZ (PRSC) 4.9%, other 4.4%; percent of vote in second round - Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 60.7%; Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 39.3% expected date of next election: 1 February 2026 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in April 2026) note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 57 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/6/2022 parties elected and seats per party: National Liberation Party (PLN) (19); Democratic Social Progress Party (PPSD) (10); Christian Social Unity Party (USC) (9); New Republic Party (NR) (7); Broad Front (FA) (6); Progressive Liberal Party (LP) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 49.1% expected date of next election: February 2026

$138.371 billion (2024 est.) $132.64 billion (2023 est.) $126.189 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$27,000 (2024 est.) $26,000 (2023 est.) $24,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

-0.4% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

USA 40%, Netherlands 6%, China 5%, Guatemala 4%, Belgium 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

USA 38%, China 15%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 3%, Guatemala 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Ministry of Public Security (Ministerio de Seguridad P blica de Costa Rica): National Police (Fuerza P blica), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia A rea), National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas), Drug Control Police (Polic a Control de Drogas), Border Police (Policia de Fronteras), Professional Migration Police (Polic a Profesional de Migraci n) Ministry of Presidency: Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Special Intervention Unit (UEI) (2025) note: Costa Rica's armed forces were constitutionally abolished in 1949

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)