At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Costa Rica

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Abel PACHECO
• Head of Government: President Abel PACHECO
• 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 Presidential race:

• Oscar ARIAS Sanchez
  • Party: National Liberation Party (PLN) / Partido Liberacion Nacional
• Otton SOLIS Fallas
  • Party: Citizen Action Party (PAC) / Partido Accion Ciudadana
• Otto GUEVARA Guth
  • Party: Libertarian Movement Party (PML) / Partido Movimiento Libertario
• Ricardo Jaime TOLEDO Carranza
  • Party: Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) / Partido Unidad Social Cristiana
• Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti
  • Party: Union for Change Party (UPC) / Partido Union Para El Cambio
• Jose Manuel ECHANDI Meza
  • Party: National Union Party (PUN) / Partido Union Nacional

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on February 3, 2002, with a run-off on April 7, 2002. Abel PACHECO (PUSC) was elected president with 58% of the vote against Rolando ARAYA (PLN) who obtained 42%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 4,308,790 (2006)
• Registered Voters: 2,550,613 (November 2005 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,148,774 (2006)

·         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: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 22 (following 2006 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: 646,318 (est.)