The Republic of Costa Rica or Costa Rica is a Central American country with tropical beaches.Costa Rica is home to roughly five million people. The largest city and capital of Costa Rica is San José.Costa Rica’s climate is known to be tropical throughout the year. There are mainly two seasons seen here: summer or the dry season and winter or the wet season. This country in Central America has a wide variety of plants and animals. If you find this article interesting, then you might also enjoy reading our other articles on Chilean government facts and Canada government facts. Facts About The Costa Rica GovernmentInterestingly, it is the first country to have ended deforestation and reversed its effects. Costa Ricans have restored the forestry of their country and have also developed an ecosystem to educate ecologists and biologists on their environmental protection measures.One of the longest-standing and stable democracies in Central America is Costa Rica. The country has a strong system of constitutional checks and balances to ensure the smooth running of this democratic republic and to protect human rights. Voting is considered compulsory for Costa Ricans, but it is not enforced. The government system of Costa Rica is made up of an executive branch, a judicial branch, and a legislative branch. The country has no military, but it has security forces, domestic police, and a coast guard. The president exercises executive powers and is considered the head of the state and the government. The president is voted for a term of four years directly by voters and not by the Legislative Assembly. The executive branch also comprises a vice president, a second vice president, and a 15-member cabinet. Constitutional reform in 1969 barred presidents from running for re-election.The Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica holds the legislative powers of the government and is made up of 57 legislators. These legislators are also called deputies and are elected for a four-year term. This branch can be made up of different political parties. Here, deputies are elected in proportion to their representation of the seven provinces.The judicial branch of the democratic government of Costa Rica is headed by the supreme court, which controls the judicial power of the country. 22 judges are elected by the Legislative Assembly for an eight-year term. The Sala IV or the constitutional chamber of the supreme court deals with executive action and reviews legislation. The courts below Sala IV deal with legal and criminal dispute issues.The Electoral Process In Costa RicaCosta Rica’s economy has been stable for the last few years with continuing growth in the GDP. The country’s economic growth was strong once it emerged from the recession in the year 1997. The main economic source of Costa Rica was agriculture, but now the sources are more diverse, including electronic components, tourism, IT services, construction materials, and medical manufacturing.In Costa Rica, the president, vice-presidents, and the legislature are elected for a term of four years. The 22 magistrates of the judicial branch are elected for a term of eight years. The president is elected using a system called the modified two-round system in which the candidate has to receive at least 40% of the votes in order to win the first round. The Legislative Assembly is made up of 57 members and is elected using a closed list proportionate representation of the seven provinces of Costa Rica. The whole electoral process is overseen by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. The members of this commission are selected by the supreme court of justice and comprise three principal magistrates and six alternates. The election is conducted at local polling stations using the secret ballot method.Election days are usually filled with celebrations and demonstrations. The different political parties organize marches to get their supporters to their polling stations. Many supporters wear traditional colors of the country and decorate their houses and cars with ribbons. The election day is a national holiday.Legal Powers Of The PresidentThe democratic republic of Costa Rica is governed by the 1949 constitution. It was this constitution that separated the powers of the three branches of the government, namely the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.The president of Costa Rica is an important part of the executive branch of the government. He has the power to select and remove ministers of the government and has supreme command over public force. He can use public force to protect the security, order, and defense of the country. He can also appoint and remove the other public servants of the government, keeping with the law of civil service. He can sanction and publicize laws, execute and regulate them and see that they are being fulfilled.The president also has the power to take the initiative in formulating laws and can also veto them if required. He also has the power to collect and invest the national income according to prescribed laws. He has the power to direct the international relations of the republic and to receive the heads of state and diplomatic representatives. He also makes sure that administrative services are functioning well. The president also has the power to confer navigation licenses.The History Of Costa Rica’s GovernmentThe people in Costa Rica are known as one of the happiest populations on the planet. The government of Costa Rica also reflects this in the long-standing stability of its democracy. The country provides both social security and social benefits for its people. The country’s history is relatively peaceful without many instances of violence.Costa Rica became a part of the Mexican Empire in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence. It joined the Central American provinces and gained independence from Spain in 1821, but the economy of the country struggled due to its lack of connections with suppliers in Europe. In 1838, Costa Rica formally withdrew from the Central American Federation and declared itself sovereign. In 1869, Costa Rica established a democratic government. From 1899, a peaceful democracy began in Costa Rica, and elections were conducted for the first time in the country’s history in a true and honest manner. This trend continued throughout the country’s history with only two lapses, one of which was 1917-1919 when Tinoco ruled as a dictator, and the second was in 1948 when Figueres led an uprising due to a disputed presidential election.The Civil War in 1948 was the longest and bloodiest war in Costa Rican history in the 20th century. Following the Civil War, Costa Rican government established a new constitution. This constitution abolished the military and granted universal suffrage. In 1953, Figueres won the first election under the new constitution and became a national hero. Since then, Costa Rica has held peaceful presidential elections.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 91 Costa Rica government facts then why not take a look at Australian government facts or American government facts.
The Republic of Costa Rica or Costa Rica is a Central American country with tropical beaches.
