Abstract
The republic of Costa Rica (literally the ‘Rich Coast’) has been an independent state since the year 1821, although it formed, from 1824 to 1838, part of the Confederation of Central America. It has been governed under a constitution promulgated on 7 Dec, 1871, and modified very frequently since that date and as recently as 1949. The legislative power is normally vested in a single chamber called the Constitutional Congress, which since 1946 consists of 45 deputies, one for every 15,000 inhabitants. The members of the chamber are elected for 4 years, one-half retiring every 2 years. The President is elected for 4 years; the candidate receiving the largest vote, provided it is over 40% of the total, is declared elected, but a second ballot is required if no candidate gets 40% of the total. By the election law of 18 Jan., 1946, all male citizens who are 20 years of age are entitled to vote; married men and teachers, from the age of 18. Barred are those deprived of civil rights, criminals, bankrupts and the insane; women over 21 were enfranchised in 1949, under the new constitution. Elections are held on the second Sunday in February. Voting for President, Deputies and Municipal Councillors is, by the law of 26 July, 1925, secret, and, by an amendment to the constitution in 1936, compulsory for all men under 70 years of age. Independent non-party candidates are barred from the ballot.
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Books of Reference
Statistical Information.—Official statistics are issued by the Director General de Estadística (Ministero de Economia y Hacienda, San José) as they become available and are all incorporated in the ‘Anuario de la Dirección General de Estadistica’ (latest volume, 1948). The compilation of statistics was started in 1861.
Biesanz (John and Mavis), Costa Rican Life. New York, 1944.
Guardia (L. F.), Historia de Costa Rica. San José, 1939.
Jones (Chester L.), Costa Rica and Civilization in the Caribbean. Madison, 1935.
Saavedra (M.) (editor), Costa Rica Commercial Guide. San José. Annual.
Vogt (W.), The Population of Costa Rica and its Natural Resources. Washington, D.C., 1946.
Zeledón (M. T.), Lecciones de Ciencia constitucional y Constitución Politica de la República de Costa Rica. San José, 1945.
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© 1951 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
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Steinberg, S.H. (1951). Costa Rica. In: Steinberg, S.H. (eds) The Statesman’s Year-Book. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230270800_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230270800_19
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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