Conventional Long Form Name: Republic of Costa Rica
Capital City(ies): San Jose
Type of Government: Democratic Republic
Date of Independence: 15 September 1821 from Spain
National Holiday(s): Independence Day, 15 September
Chief of State: President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera
Capital City(ies): San Jose
Type of Government: Democratic Republic
Date of Independence: 15 September 1821 from Spain
National Holiday(s): Independence Day, 15 September
Chief of State: President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera
Head of Government: President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera
Description of Executive Branch/Powers:
Name of their Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Shanon Muni Figueres Boggs
Location of their embassy in the U.S.: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location(s) of their consulate(s) in the U.S.: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan( Puerto Rico), Washington DC, Dallas, Denver, Tucson, Austin
Name of U.S. Ambassador to them: Charge d'Affaires Gonzalo Gallegos
Location of U.S. embassy there: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) there: n/a
Name of their representative to UN: Juan Carlos Mendoza Garcia
Symbolism of Flag:
- Chief of state and head of state: President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, First Vice President Helio Fallas Venega, Second Vice President Ana Helena Chacon Echeverria
- Cabinet selected by president
- Unicameral Legislative Assembly ( Asamblea Legislativa): 57 seats, members elected by direct, popular vote, four terms
- Supreme Court of Justice: 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with five judges, and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges
- Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8 year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly
- Subordinate courts: Appellate courts, first instance and justice of the peace courts, Superior Electoral Tribunal
Name of their Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Shanon Muni Figueres Boggs
Location of their embassy in the U.S.: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location(s) of their consulate(s) in the U.S.: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan( Puerto Rico), Washington DC, Dallas, Denver, Tucson, Austin
Name of U.S. Ambassador to them: Charge d'Affaires Gonzalo Gallegos
Location of U.S. embassy there: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) there: n/a
Name of their representative to UN: Juan Carlos Mendoza Garcia
Symbolism of Flag:
- Blue: sky, opportunity, perseverance
- White: peace, happiness, wisdom
- Red: blood shed for freedom, generosity, vibrancy of people
National Symbol(s): clay- colored robin known as Yiguirro
Descriptions of International Disputes:
Quantity of Stateless Persons: n/a
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: n/a
Description of Illicit Drug Trafficking/Use:
Descriptions of International Disputes:
- Costa Rica and Nicaragua regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitation of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the International Court of Justice. This dispute continues today over oil concessions in the disputed region.
- Columbia: 16, 586
Quantity of Stateless Persons: n/a
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: n/a
Description of Illicit Drug Trafficking/Use:
- Transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America
- Illicit production of cannabis in remote areas
- Domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine is rising
- significant consumption of amphetamines
- seizures of smuggled cash in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica from Nicaragua have risen in recent years