Costa Rica
 

to 12 Nov 1821     Sep 1821 - May 1822, 10 May - 6 Jun 1823                 6 Jun 1823 - 4 Mar 1824              4 Mar 1824 - 2 Nov 1824               2 Nov 1824 - 22 Nov 1824             22 Nov 1824 - 15 Nov 1840                 21 Apr 1840 - Sep 1842                 Sep 1842 - 29 Sep 1848               29 Sep 1848 - 27 Nov 1906            Adopted 27 Nov 1906  Civil Flag            Adopted 27 Nov 1906 State Flag   Map of Costa Rica Hear National Anthem "Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera" (Noble homeland, your beautiful flag) Text of National Anthem Since 1852, Adopted 1949 Constitution  (9 Nov 1949) Capital: San José Currency: Costa Rican Colon (CRC)  National Holiday: 15 Sep (1821) Independence Day Population: 4,133,884 (2007) GDP: $48.7 billion (2006) Exports: $7.9 billion (2006) Imports: $10.8 billion (2006) Ethnic groups: white 77%, mestizo 17%, black/mulatto 3%, East Indian (mostly Chinese) 2%, Amerindian 1% (2000) Total Paramilitary Force: 8,400 (2003) (Army officially abolished 1948) Merchant marine: 2 ships (2006) Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%  International Organizations/Treaties: APM, BCIE, BTWC, CACM, CAFTA (signatory), CTBT, ENMOD, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, KP, LAES,  LAIA (observer), LU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NPT, NTBT, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SEGIB, SICA, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Costa Rica Index Chronology 18 Sep 1502                Discovered and claimed for Spain by Columbus. 1568                       Province of Nuevo Cartago (later Costa Rica),                               part of the colonial kingdom of Guatemala                               (subordinated to New Spain [Mexico]). 23 Dec 1786                Gobierno of Costa Rica within Intendencia of León                              (see Nicaragua).  12 Nov 1821                Independence (Province of Costa Rica)  4 Mar 1824 - 15 Nov 1838  Constituent state of Central American Federation                               (see Guatemala).  8 Sep 1824                Free State of Costa Rica  7 Mar 1847                State of Costa Rica 31 Aug 1848                Republic of Costa Rica Talamanca (1862-1910)

Governors
1568 - 1573                Parafán de Ribera
1574 - 1577                Alonso de Anguciana y Gamboa
1577 - 1590                Diego de Artieda y Chirino
1590 - 1591                Juan Valásquez Ramiro
1591 - 1592                Bartolomé de Lences
1592 - 1595                Gonzalo de lam Palma
1595 - 1599                Fernando de la Cueva
1600 - 1604                Gonzalo Vázquez de Coronado y
                             Arias de Ávila
1604 - 1613                Juan de Ocón y Trillo
1613 - 1619                Juan de Mendoza y Medrano
1619 - 1624                Alonso del Castillo y Guzmán
1624 - 1630                Juan de Echáuz
1630 - 1634                Juan de Villalta
1634 - 1636                Juan de Agüero
1636 - 1644                Gregorio de Sandoval y González
                             de Alcalá
1644 - 1650                Juan de Cháves y Mendoza
1650 - 1655                Juan Fernández de Salinas y de
                             la Cerda 
1655 - 1661                Andrés Arias Maldonaldo y Mendoza
1662 - 1664                Rodrigo Arias Maldonaldo
1664 - 1665                Juan de Obregón
1664 - 1674                Juan López de la Flor
1675 - 1681                Juan Francisco Sáenz Vázquez y 
                             Sendín
1681 - 1693                Miguel Gómez de Lara 
1693 - 1698                Manuel de Bustamente y Vivero 
1698 - 1704                Francisco Serrano de Reina y 
                             Lizarde
1704 - 1707                Diego de Herrera y Campuzano
1707 - 1712                Lorenzo Antonio de Granada y 
                             Balbín
1713 - 1717                José Antonio Lacayo de Briones
                             y Palacios
1717 - 1718                Pedro Ruíz de Bustamante
1718 - 1726                Diego de la Haya y Fernández 
1727 - 1736                Baltasar Francisco de 
                             Valderrama y Haro
1736                       Antonio Vázquez de la Quadra
1736 - 1739                Francisco Antonio de Carrandi 
                             y Menán
1739 - 1740                Francisco de Olaechea
 2 Jun 1740 -  5 Nov 1747  Juan Gemmir y Lleonart             (d. 1747)
22 Nov 1747 - 14 Mar 1750  Luis Díez Navarro
                             (interim to 22 Jan 1748)
1750 - 1754                Cristóbal Ignacio de Soría
1754 -  2 Jul 1756         Francisco Fernández de la          (d. 1756)
                             Pástora
12 Aug 1756 - 24 Oct 1757  José Antonio de Oreamuno y
                             Vázquez Melendez 
                             (1st time)(interim) 
24 Oct 1757 - 18 Sep 1758  José Gonzalez Rancaño (interim)
18 Sep 1758 - 1761         Manuel Soler                       (d. 1763)
                             (abandoned office 1760)
1761                       Francisco Javier de Oreamuno y
                             Vázquez Melendez (interim)
1761                       Pedro Manuel de Ayerdi (interim)
1761 - 1764                José Antonio de Oreamuno y
                             Vázquez Melendez 
                             (2nd time)(interim)
1764 - 1773                José Joaquín de Nava y Cabezudo
                             (acting to 3 Apr 1764)
1773 - 1778                Juan Fernández de Bobadilla        (d. 1781)
                             (1st time) 
25 Jun 1778 - 23 Jul 1780  José Perié y Barros (1st time)     (d. 1789)
23 Jul 1780 - 28 Jan 1781  Juan Fernández de Bobadilla        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(interim)
28 Jan 1781 - 1781         Francisco Carzo (interim)
11 Apr 1781 - 1785         Juan Flores (interim)
31 Jan 1785 -  7 Jan 1789  José Perié y Barros (2nd time)     (s.a.)
 7 Jan 1789 - 1789         José Antonio de Oriamuno (acting)
1789 - 1790                Juan Esteban Martínez de Pinillos
                             (interim)
 7 Nov 1790 - 1797         José Vázquez y Téllez
 3 Apr 1797 -  4 Dec 1810  Tomás de Acosta y Hurtado          (d. 1821)
                             de Mendoza 
 4 Dec 1810 - 10 Jun 1819  Juan de Dios de Ayala y Gudiño     (d. 1819)
                             (military governor from 3 Jul 1810)
10 Jun 1819 - 11 Oct 1821  Juan Manuel de Cañas Trujillo y 
                             Sánchez de Madrid (interim) 
Subordinate Political Chief 
11 Oct 1821 - 12 Nov 1821  Juan Manuel de Cañas Trujillo y 
                             Sánchez de Madrid
Chairman of the Board of Peoples' Delegates
12 Nov 1821 -  1 Dec 1821  José Nicolás Carrillo y Aguirre    (b. 1751 - d. 1845)
President of the Interim Junta
 1 Dec 1821 - 12 Jan 1822  Pedro José de Alvarado y Baeza 
Presidents of the Superior Governing Board 
12 Jan 1822 - 13 Apr 1822  Rafael de la Trinidad Barroeta y   (b. 1766 - d. 1826)
                             Castilla 
13 Apr 1822 - 14 Jul 1822  José Santiago de Bonilla y         (b. 1756 - d. 1824)
                             Laya-Bolívar 
15 Jul 1822 - 17 Oct 1822  José María de Peralta y de la      (b. 1763 - d. 1826)
                             Vega 
17 Oct 1822 - 31 Dec 1822  Rafael Luis José de Gallegos y     (b. 1784 - d. 1850)
                             Alvarado 
 1 Jan 1823 - 20 Mar 1823  José Santos Lombardo y Alvarado    (b. 1775 - d. 1831)
President of the Standing Commission of the Superior Tribunal of Justice
20 Mar 1823 - 29 Mar 1823  Rafael Francisco Osejo             (b. 1790? - d. 1848?)
General Commandants
29 Mar 1823 -  5 Apr 1823  Joaquín de Oreamuno y Muñoz de 
                             la Trinidad (in Cartago)
 2 Apr 1823 - 16 Apr 1823  Gregorio José Ramírez y Castro     (b. 1796 - d. 1823)
                             (in Alajuela and San José)
President of Constituent Congress 
16 Apr 1823 - 10 May 1823  José María de Peralta y            (s.a.)
                             de la Vega
Presidents of the Superior Governing Junta
10 May 1823 -  8 Jan 1824  Manuel de Jesús Alvarado e Hidalgo (b. 1775 - d. 1836)
                             (1st time)
 8 Jan 1824 - 12 Feb 1824  Eusebio Rodríguez Castro           (b. 1778 - d. 1858)
12 Feb 1824 -  8 Sep 1824  Manuel de Jesús Alvarado e Hidalgo (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
Supreme Chiefs¹ 
 8 Sep 1824 -  8 Mar 1833  Juan José Mora Fernández           (b. 1784 - d. 1854) 
                             (interim to 14 Apr 1825)
 9 Mar 1833 -  4 Mar 1835  Rafael Luis José de Gallegos y     (s.a.)
                             Alvarado
 4 Mar 1835 - 18 Mar 1835  Juan José de Lara y Arias de       (b. 1780 - d. 18..)
                             Salamanca (acting) 
18 Mar 1835 -  5 May 1835  Manuel José Fernández Chacón       (b. 1786 - d. 1840)
                             (acting)
 5 May 1835 - 28 Feb 1837  Braulio Evaristo Carrillo Colina   (b. 1800 - d. 1845)
                             (1st time)
 1 Mar 1837 - 17 Apr 1837  José Joaquín Mora Fernández        (b. 1786 - d. 1840)
                             (provisional)
17 Apr 1837 - 27 May 1838  Manuel de Jesús Aguilar Chacón     (b. 1797 - d. 1846)
27 May 1838 - 12 Apr 1842  Braulio Evaristo Carrillo Colina   (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
12 Apr 1842 - 11 Sep 1842  José Francisco Morazán Quezada     (b. 1792 - d. 1842)
                             (provisional to 15 Jul 1842) 
11 Sep 1842 - 27 Sep 1842  Antonio Luis Pinto Suárez          (b. 1780 - d. 1865)
                             (Supreme Commander) 
27 Sep 1842 - 29 Nov 1844  José María Alfaro Zamora (1st time)(b. 1799 - d. 1856)
                             (provisional) 
29 Nov 1844 -  7 Jun 1846  Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla   (b. 1801 - d. 1856)
 7 Jun 1846 - 10 Feb 1847  José María Alfaro Zamora (2nd time)(s.a.)
                             (provisional) 
Presidents
10 Feb 1847 -  8 May 1847  José María Alfaro Zamora           (s.a.)
                             (provisional) 
 8 May 1847 - 16 Nov 1849  José María Castro y Madriz         (b. 1818 - d. 1892)
                             (provisional to 31 Aug 1848) 
                             (1st time) 
16 Nov 1849 - 26 Nov 1849  José Miguel Mora Porras (acting)   (b. 1816 - d. 1887)
26 Nov 1849 - 14 Aug 1859  Juan Rafael Mora Porras            (b. 1814 - d. 1860) 
                             (acting to 30 Dec 1849)
14 Aug 1859 -  8 May 1863  José María Montealegre Fernández   (b. 1815 - d. 1887)
                             (acting to 29 Apr 1860)
 8 May 1863 -  8 May 1866  Jesús María Ciriaco Jiménez Zamora (b. 1823 - d. 1897)
                             (1st time) 
 8 May 1866 -  1 Nov 1868  José María Castro y Madriz         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
 1 Nov 1868 - 27 Apr 1870  Jesús María Ciriaco Jiménez        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(provisional to 8 May 1869)
27 Apr 1870 -  9 Aug 1870  José Bruno Carranza Ramírez        (b. 1822 - d. 1891)
                             (Provisional Chief) 
10 Aug 1870 -  8 May 1876  Tomás Miguel Guardia Gutiérrez     (b. 1831 - d. 1882)  Lib
                             (provisional to 8 May 1872, initially styled Provisional Chief)
                             (1st time)
 8 May 1876 - 30 Jul 1876  Aniceto del Carmen Esquivel Sáenz  (b. 1824 - d. 1898)
30 Jul 1876 - 11 Sep 1877  Vicente de las Mercedes Herrera    (b. 1821 - d. 1888)
                            Zeledón (acting) 
11 Sep 1877 -  6 Jul 1882  Tomás Miguel Guardia Gutiérrez     (s.a.)               Lib
                             (provisional to 8 May 1880)
                             (2nd time)
 6 Jul 1882 - 20 Jul 1882  Francisco Cipriano Saturnino       (b. 1826 - d. 1905)
                             Lizano Gutiérrez (acting)
20 Jul 1882 - 12 Mar 1885  Juan Primitivo Próspero Fernández  (b. 1834 - d. 1885)  Lib
                             Oreamuno (acting to 10 Aug 1882)
12 Mar 1885 -  8 May 1890  Ramón Bernardo Soto Alfaro         (b. 1854 - d. 1931)  Lib
                             (acting to 8 May 1886) 
 8 May 1890 -  8 May 1894  José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón     (b. 1838 - d. 1917)  Con
 8 May 1894 -  8 May 1902  Rafael Anselmo José Iglesias       (b. 1861 - d. 1924)  Con
                             Castro 
 8 May 1902 -  8 May 1906  Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra          (b. 1848 - d. 1927)  PUN
 8 May 1906 -  8 May 1910  Cleto de Jesús González Víquez     (b. 1858 - d. 1937)  PUN
                             (1st time) 
 8 May 1910 -  8 May 1914  Romualdo Ricardo de Jesús Jiménez  (b. 1869 - d. 1945)  PUN
                             Oreamuno (1st time)
 8 May 1914 - 27 Jan 1917  Alfredo González Flores            (b. 1877 - d. 1962) 
27 Jan 1917 - 20 Aug 1919  José Federico Alberto de Jesús     (b. 1868 - d. 1931)  Mil
                             Tinoco Granados
                             (Provisional Head of Government to 11 Apr 1917)
20 Aug 1919 -  2 Sep 1919  Juan Bautista Quirós Segura        (b. 1853 - d. 1934) 
                             (acting)
 2 Sep 1919 -  8 May 1920  Francisco Ramón de Jesús Aguilar   (b. 1857 - d. 1924)
                             Barquero (provisional)
 8 May 1920 -  8 May 1924  Rafael Julio del Rosario Acosta    (b. 1876 - d. 1954)
                             García 
 8 May 1924 -  8 May 1928  Romualdo Ricardo de Jesús Jiménez  (s.a.)               PRN
                             Oreamuno (2nd time)
 8 May 1928 -  8 May 1932  Cleto de Jesús González Víquez     (s.a.)               PUN
                             (2nd time) 
 8 May 1932 -  8 May 1936  Romualdo Ricardo de Jesús Jiménez  (s.a.)               PRN
                             Oreamuno (3rd time)
 8 May 1936 -  8 May 1940  León Luis Cortés Castro            (b. 1882 - d. 1946)  PRN
 8 May 1940 -  8 May 1944  Rafael Ángel del Socorro Calderón  (b. 1900 - d. 1970)  PRN
                             Guardia 
 8 May 1944 -  8 May 1948  Teodoro Picado Michalski           (b. 1900 - d. 1960)  PRN
                             (took "terminal" leave 20 Apr 1948, did not resign)
20 Apr 1948 -  8 May 1948  Santos León Herrera                (b. 1874 - d. 1950)  PRN
                             (acting for Michalski)
 8 May 1948 -  8 Nov 1949  José María Hipólito Figueres       (b. 1906 - d. 1990)  Mil
                             Ferrer (1st time) 
                             (President Founding Junta of the Second Republic) 
 8 Nov 1949 -  8 Nov 1953  Luis Emilio Rafael de la Trinidad  (b. 1891 - d. 1973)  PUN
                             Otilio González Ulate y Blanco 
 8 Nov 1953 -  8 May 1958  José María Hipólito Figueres       (s.a.)               PLN
                             Ferrer (2nd time) 
 8 May 1958 -  8 May 1962  Mario José Echandi Jiménez         (b. 1915)            PUN
 8 May 1962 -  8 May 1966  Francisco José Orlich Bolmarich    (b. 1907 - d. 1969)  PLN
 8 May 1966 -  8 May 1970  José Joaquín Antonio Trejos        (b. 1916)            PUN
                             Fernández
 8 May 1970 -  8 May 1974  José María Hipólito Figueres       (s.a.)               PLN
                             Ferrer (3rd time)
 8 May 1974 -  8 May 1978  Porfirio Ricardo José Luis Daniel  (b. 1921 - d. 1991)  PLN
                             Oduber Quirós 
 8 May 1978 -  8 May 1982  Rodrigo José Ramón Francisco de    (b. 1926)            PRD/UC
                             Jesús Carazo Odio
 8 May 1982 -  8 May 1986  Luis Alberto Monge Álvarez         (b. 1925)            PLN
 8 May 1986 -  8 May 1990  Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias        (b. 1941)            PLN
                             Sánchez (1st time)
 8 May 1990 -  8 May 1994  Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier     (b. 1949)            PUSC
 8 May 1994 -  8 May 1998  José María Figueres Olsen          (b. 1954)            PLN
 8 May 1998 -  8 May 2002  Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría  (b. 1940)            PUSC
 8 May 2002 -  8 May 2006  Abel Pacheco de la Espriella       (b. 1933)            PUSC
 8 May 2006 -              Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias        (s.a.)               PLN
                             Sánchez (2nd time)

 ¹In some constitutional use the Supreme Chief (Jefe Supremo) was alternatively styled First Chief (Primer Jefe). This style became the only constitutional one from 27 May 1841 to 6 Jun 1842. 

Territorial Dispute: In Sep 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the Río San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty. 

Party abbreviations: PLN = Partido Liberación Nacional (National Liberation Party, social-democratic); PRD = Partido Renovación Democrático (Democratic Renovation Party);
PUN = Partido Unión Nacional (National Union Party); PUSC = Partido de Unidad Social Cristiana (Christian Social Unity Party, christian-democratic, est.1983 former UC); Mil = Military; 
- Former parties: Con = Conservative; Lib = Liberal; PR = Partido Republicano (Republican Party); PRN = Partido Republicano Nacional (National Republican Party); UC = Coalición Unidad (United Coalition; coalition of Unión Popular [Popular Union], Partido Renovación Democrático [Democratic Renovation Party], Partido Republicano [Republican Party], Partido Democrático Cristiana [Christian Democratic Party] and Partido Republicano Calderonista [Caldernonist Republican Party])

c.1862 - Jan 1910          Main chiefs of the Bri-Bri Indian nation style themselves "Kings 

                             of Talamanca"; even if they recognized the government of Costa 

                             Rica as their supreme ruler.