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)