República de Costa Rica

Political Status: Part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala that declared independence from Spain in September 1821; member of the United Provinces of Central America that was launched in 1824; autonomy reestablished in 1839; republic declared in 1848; democratic constitutional system instituted in 1899.

Area: 19,575 sq. mi. (50,700 sq. km).

Population: 4,953,000 (2020E—World Bank); 5,000,000 (2020E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2018E—World Bank): SAN JOSÉ (335,980), Limón (63,601), San Francisco (56,360).

Principal Language: Spanish, (There is no “official” language.)

Monetary Unit: Colón (market rate October 19, 2018: 586.10 colónes = $1US).

President: Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (Citizen Action Party); elected in a runoff ballot on February 4, 2018; succeeding Luis Guillermo SOLÍS (Citizen Action Party).

First Vice President: Epsy CAMPBELL Barr (Citizen Action Party); succeeded Helio FALLAS ...