ed by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 February 1998 (next to be held 2 February 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUSC 41%, PLN 35%,
minority parties 24%; seats by party - PUSC 27, PLN 23, minority
parties 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected
for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Agriculture Labor Action or PALA
; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC
; Democratic Force Party or PFD ;
Libertarian Movement Party or PML ; National Christian
Alliance Party or ANC ; National
Independent Party or PNI ; National Integration
Party or PIN ; National Liberation Party or PLN
; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel
CHACON]
note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN; numerous small parties
share less than 25% of population's support

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

International organization participation: 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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 234-2945
FAX: (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 Thomas J. DODD
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: 220-3939
FAX: 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 sid