ssembly

Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party or PLN
[Rolando ARAYA]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Rafael Angel
CALDERON Fournier]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ];
National Agrarian Party or PAN; People's Party of Costa Rica or PPC
[Lenin CHACON Vargas]; Agricultural Union Party or PUAC [Juan
Guillermo BRENES Castillo]; Democratic Force Party or FD [Isaac Felipe
AZOFEIFA Bolanos]; People United [Humberto VARGAS Carbonell];
Patriotic Front Party; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo
GUTIERREZ)]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Costa Rican Confederation of
Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Confederated
Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Authentic
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party
affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for
Economic Development or ANFE; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL
(rightwing militants); National Association of Educators or ANDE;
Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP

International organization participation: AG (observer), BCIE, CACM,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general : Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 220-2305

Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red
(double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk
on the hoist side of the red band

Economy

Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive
economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas,
coffee, and other agricultural products. Poverty has been
substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong