Costa Rica

• tropical and subtropical;
• dry season (December to April);
• rainy season (May to November);
• cooler in highlands

• roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas;
• the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population

• 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

• four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country;
• one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

noun:

Costa Rican(s)

adjective:

Costa Rican

total:

36 years (2025 est.)

male:

34.9 years

female:

36.1 years

• roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas;
• the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.84 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

7 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

80.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

77.7 years

female:

82.9 years

total:

3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

2.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

8.1% (2025 est.)

male:

12.2% (2025 est.)

female:

4.1% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

2% (2018)

women married by age 18:

17.1% (2018)

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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Marine Life Conservation

• tropical and subtropical;
• dry season (December to April);
• rainy season (May to November);
• cooler in highlands

urban population:

82.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.46 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

5.4% (2022 est.)

municipal:

1.109 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

245.34 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

2.093 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form:

Costa Rica

local long form:

República de Costa Rica

local short form:

Costa Rica

etymology:

the name means "rich coast" in Spanish; Christopher COLUMBUS named it in 1502, referring to the region's abundant vegetation and water

name:

San José

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

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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

7 years

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

• Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE
• Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA
• Citizen Action Party or PAC
• Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC
• Here Costa Rica Commands Party or ACRM
• Liberal Progressive Party or PLP
• Libertarian Movement Party or ML
• National Integration Party or PIN
• National Liberation Party or PLN
• National Restoration Party or PRN
• New Generation or PNG
• New Republic Party or PNR
• Social Christian Republican Party or PRSC
• Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC of UNIDAD
• Social Democratic Progress Party or PPSD

chief of mission:

Ambassador Catalina CRESPO SANCHO (since 19 April 2023)

chancery:

2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 499-2980

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-4795

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.embassycr.org/

consulate(s) general:

Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington DC

chief of mission:

Ambassador-designate Melinda HILDEBRAND (since 3 December 2025); Chargé d’Affaires Jennifer SAVAGE (since August 2025)

embassy:

Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose

mailing address:

3180 St. George's Place, Washington DC 20521-3180

telephone:

[506] 2519-2000

FAX:

[506] 2519-2305

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://cr.usembassy.gov/

description:

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double-width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk placed toward the left side of the red band

meaning:

• the blue is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance;
• the white for peace, happiness, and wisdom;
• and the red for the blood shed for freedom, as well as Costa Ricans' generosity and vibrancy

history:

Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutions in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors by adding a central red stripe

note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand, but with the blue and red colors reversed

• the Costa Rican coat of arms highlights the country’s natural beauty and history;
• three volcanoes, each topped with a white cloud, are surrounded with water, symbolizing the seaports of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans;
• the rising sun in the background stands for the birth of a new nation, and the seven white stars for the country's provinces;
• the two merchant ships carrying Costa Rica’s flag are a reminder of the maritime trade that shaped the country's history

title:

"Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica)

lyrics/music:

Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ

history:

• adopted 1949;
• the music was originally written for a welcome ceremony in 1852 for the US and UK diplomatic missions;
• the lyrics were added in 1900

total World Heritage Sites:

4 (1 cultural, 3 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Guanacaste Conservation Area (n);
• Cocos Island National Park (n);
• Precolumbian Stone Spheres (c);
• La Amistad International Park (n)

• trade-based upper middle-income economy;
• green economy leader, having reversed deforestation;
• investing in blue economy infrastructure;
• declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19;
• lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis

agriculture:

3.6% (2024 est.)

industry:

19.7% (2024 est.)

services:

68.8% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

23% (2024 est.)

male:

20.7% (2024 est.)

female:

26.2% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

21.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.7% (2024 est.)

highest 10%:

34.2% (2024 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

23,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

24,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

400 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

60,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

• over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station;
• cable network services are widely available;
• more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022)

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 ports:

6 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

5

ports with oil terminals:

4

key ports:

Golfito, Puerto Caldera, Puerto Limon, Puerto Moin, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

• the National Police are lightly armed although small special units are trained and equipped for tactical operations;
• the US has provided equipment and support to forces such as the Coast Guard, including secondhand US vessels and aircraft (2025)

• 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)

• has a small, recently established program focused on using space to develop the country’s economy and industry, including acquiring and using satellites;
• has built a remote sensing (RS) cube satellite;
• has relations with US space agencies and commercial space industries, as well as with the ESA and the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)

• 2018 - first domestically produced remote sensing cube satellite (Irazú) for monitoring tropical forests and climate change launched by US and deployed from the International Space Station
• 2021 - signed protocols for newly established Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency; opened US commercial company’s space radar facility for mapping and space situational awareness
• 2022 - domestically produced scientific device (Proyecto Musa or Musa Project) launched on European rocket
• 2024 - participated in first China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum

refugees:

249,521 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

58 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

345 (2024 est.)