Democracy & Economy

Costa Rica is an agricultural country, although industry is being developed at a moderate pace. Industries include food processing and the manufacture of textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, and electronics. Coffee, bananas, sugar, and beef are exported, as well as manufactured goods such as textiles. Petroleum, machinery, consumer durables, chemicals, and foodstuffs are imported. Tourism is the second biggest money-earner, after agriculture.

Costa Rica is Democratic republic but the Democracy is not only the type of government of Costa Rica. Democracy is also the source of tremendous pride in a country that brags about having more teachers than policemen and not having a standing army since 1948. Democracy also means that even the smallest town has a right to have electricity, potable water and public or private phones

Juan Mora Fernández, the first chief of state in Costa Rica (1824). The 1949 Constitution declares the country a Democratic Republic. This body of laws guarantees citizens as well as foreigners basic rights: the right to own property, the right to petition and assembly, the right to habeas corpus and the freedom of speech. The government is separated into an executive, a legislative and a judicial branch. The executive branch includes a President, two vice-presidents and seventeen members of the Council of Government. The legislative assembly includes judges that have been appointed by the Legislative Assembly to serve for a minimum of eight years. Last but not least, there is a Special Electoral Tribunal with three judges that oversee the "sacred" right to vote and to hold elections.