Costa Rica is a country in Central America. Its northern border is with Nicaragua, southeast Panamanian territory, east is bathed by the Caribbean Sea and west by the Pacific Ocean. Its capital, political and economic center is San Jose. The official language is Spanish.

Costa Rica, one of the most consolidated democracies ofAmerica, has maintained a good political stability, economic and social althought its difficulties of the past two decades. Costa Rica won worldwide recognition for been the first country to abolish the army on 1 December 1948. Its human development index, one of the best in Latin America, in fourth place behind Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Costa Rica ranks fifth globally place according to the Environmental Performance Index 2008.

Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks first in the classification of tourism competitiveness index, and 44th place worldwide.

Politics

State powers

Executive branch:

President and head of government elected for 4 years: �"scar Arias Sánchez (since May 8, 2006)
First Vice President Laura Chinchilla (since May 8, 2006)
Second Vice President: Kevin Casas, resignation on September 22, 2007.
Cabinet government: Cabinet chosen by the president

Legislature:
Unicameral legislature with 57 seats. The members are elected by direct popular vote for a period of 4 years. Its current president Francisco Antonio Pacheco Fernandez

Judiciary:
Supreme Court with 22 judges who are elected for a period of 8 years by the Legislature. Its president Luis Paulino Mora Mora

Political Parties:

Currently, the country's main political parties are:
National Liberation Party (PLN, Social Democrat) and
Citizen Action Party (PAC, a center-left).
But there are various political groups of different ideological orientations, which can be found on the main article of Policy of Costa Rica.

Territorial organization
The territorial division of Costa Rica consists of seven provinces subdivided into 81 cantons, and these in turn in 463 districts.

Geography

Costa Rica is bordered to the north with Nicaragua, Panama in the southeast, east by the Caribbean Sea and west and the southwest Pacific Ocean. Cocos Island is in the Pacific Ocean and belongs to Costa Rica.
The boundaries of land in Costa Rica with Nicaragua are defined by the Canas-Jerez Treaty of 1858 and the Cleveland Award of 1888, and with Panama by the Echandi-Fernandez treaty, 1941.
The maritime boundary with Colombia are defined in the treaty Facio-Fernández 1977 and the treaty Gutierrez-Lloreda 1984, with Ecuador in the treaty Gutierrez-Teran and with Panama in 1985 and the Calderon-Ozores 1980.