At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Costa Rica

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ
• Head of Government: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ
• Assembly: Costa Rica has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) with 57 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) 57 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Abel PACHECO*
  • Party: Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC)
• Rolando ARAYA*
  • Party: National Liberation Party (PLN)
• Otton SOLIS
  • Party: Citizens Action Party (PAC)
• Otto GUEVARA
  • Party: Libertarian Movement (PML)
• Other Parties
   

*Advanced to the second round of the presidential race.

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential Elections were last held on February 1, 1998. Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ won 46.96% of the vote defeating Jose Miguel CORRALES who received 44.56% of the votes.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 4,063,208 ( 2002 est)
• Registered Voters: 2,279,851 ( 2002 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,024,735 (2002)

·         Is Costa Rica a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Costa Rica ratified CEDAW: Yes (4 April 1986)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 18 (following 2002 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 69 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Costa Rica a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Costa Rica ratified CRPD: Yes (1 October 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 609,481 (est.)