Costa Rica

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

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with 5 judges and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8-year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly subordinate courts: appellate courts; trial courts; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal

history: many previous; latest effective 8 November 1949 amendment process: proposals require the signatures of at least 10 Legislative Assembly members or petition of at least 5% of qualified voters; consideration of proposals requires two-thirds majority approval in each of three readings by the Assembly, followed by preparation of the proposal as a legislative bill and its approval by simple majority of the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership; a referendum is required only if approved by at least two thirds of the Assembly

ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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.)

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

Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from the US (2025)

$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

4.3% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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

48.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

$36.77 billion (2024 est.) $33.683 billion (2023 est.) $29.392 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$30.459 billion (2024 est.) $28.413 billion (2023 est.) $27.095 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

7.9% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 11.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $26.333 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $25.953 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, oil palm fruit, milk, fruits, oranges, chicken, cassava, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

0.75% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 18.8% (male 506,041/female 482,481) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,862,872/female 1,832,024) 65 years and over: 11.1% (2024 est.) (male 266,568/female 315,589)

10.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.) male: 77.7 years female: 82.9 years

urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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.)

female: 94.1% (2018 est.)

hydropower

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

refugees: 249,521 (2024 est.) IDPs: 58 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 345 (2024 est.)

132 (2025)

total: 278 km (2014) narrow gauge: 278 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated

total: 11 (2023) by type: other 11

total subscriptions: 6.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 136 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)