General Info

 Costa Rica

 

 

 

Flag adopted November 27, 1906

Designed by Pacífica Fernández

 

 



Location: situated in the Central American isthmus, immediately north of Panama, with ports in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and 153 highway miles between them.  

 

 



Country Capital: San José

Independence		Declared
-	from Spain	September 15, 1821
-	from Mexico (the First Mexican Empire)	July 1, 1823
-	from United Provinces of Central America	March 21, 1847
-	Recognized by Spain	May 10, 1850
-	Constitution	November 7, 1949

 

Social Plan: The Costa Rican Social Security Service is intended to cover 100% of the population. Currently 90% of the inhabitants are members and the rest are covered by the federal government.

Population:     4,301,712 (figure taken in year 2011 Census) Men: 49,86% - Women: 50,14%
White and Castizo (65.8%), Mestizo (13.65%), Mulatto (6.72%), Amerindian (2.4%), Black (1.03%), Immigrants (9.03%), Asian (0.21%), Other (0.88%)  (2011 Census)

 

 

Life Expectancy: 76.1 years

 

Literacy Rate: 96.2%

Student Population: (primary and secondary) 889,306

 

Educational Institutions: 6147 primary and secondary schools

Languages Spoken: Spanish and English

 

Length of the Pacific Coastline: 640 miles

Length of the Caribbean Coastline: 132 miles

Highest Point: Mount Chirripó

 

 Government: Unitary presidential constitutional republic
 

President:

Laura Chincilla

President of Costa Rica

Assigned office 8 May 2010

 

 

 

Historic Flags

September, 1821 – June 6, 1823	June 6, 1823 – March 4, 1824	March 4 – November 2, 1824	November 2–22, 1824
November 22, 1824 – November 15, 1840	April 21, 1840 – April 20, 1842	September, 1842 – November 12, 1848	November 12, 1848 – November 27, 1906

 

National Emblem of Costa RicaEnacted since May 5, 1998.


Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which in turn are divided into 81 cantons (Spanish: cantón, plural cantones), each of which is directed by a mayor. Mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton's people. There are no provincial legislatures. The cantons are further divided into 421 districts (distritos). The provinces are:

1. Alajuela
2. Cartago
3. Guanacaste
4. Heredia
5. Limón
6. Puntarenas
7. San José