The government of Costa Rica Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The g everywherenment of rib Rica - Research Paper ExampleThe paper tells that having gained its emancipation from Spain as part of the broader Central American independence movement in the former Kingdom of Guatemala, costa Rica became a constituent province of the short-lived Federal Republic of Central America, or Central American Union. Following the Union dissolution in 1838, Costa Rica proclaimed itself as a sovereign terra firma under Braulio Carrillo, who was ultimately removed from advocate in 1842 in 1847, Jose Maria Castro Madriz was appointed President of Costa Rica, who, during his first term of office, formally declargond Costa Rica an independent republic. The constitutional reform of 1848 attempted to rig basic civil rights and might be thought to have laid the foundations for a tradition of policy-making moderation and civilian government despite having had some interludes of military rule. Two significant periods of political fervour had taken place since the late 19th century, the first of which started with the 1917 military coup against Gonza Flores administration, led by ecumenic Tinoco Granados, whose rule failed to gain recognition from the United States and had eventually ended in 1919 under both outdoor(a) and internal pressure. The second whiz is considered the bloodiest event in the 20th-century Costa Rican history the civil war side by side(p) a highly contentious presidential election in 1948, which lasted 44 days and caused some both thousand fatalities. The Costa Rican civil conflict led to several far-reaching effects, including the abolition of the regularly army, the foundation of one of the first welfare states in the region and the first appearance of a new constitution. (Meyer 1). The latter prohibited the guardianship of standing army except in case of external invasion, outlawed the communist and fascist parties, and provided for the creation of a Supreme Electoral Tribunal that would oversee the electoral process and have police power during elections the duty to guarantee the nations security was assigned to a national police pierce called the Civil Guard (Watkins). Population and Society As of July 2011 estimates, Costa Ricas population make senses 4576562 masses, beingness comprised of four major ethnic groups as follows whites, primarily of European (Spanish) descent, which, along with the mestizos, account for 94 % of the total population 3 % blacks, which are, for the most part, of Jamaican origin and the remainder 1 % Chinese and 1 % Amerindians one by one (CIA encyclopaedia of the Nations). Some 69 % of the Costa Ricans are in the 15 to 64 age group, 6.4 % are over 65 year-old and anformer(a) 24.6 % are under 15 year-old (CIA). Those living in urban areas, correspond to 2010 data, account for 64 % of the total population (CIA), as compared to 48 % in 2001(Population Reference Bureau, cited in Encyclopedia of the Nations). The capital city, San Jose, has 1. 416 millio n inhabitants as of 2009 (CIA) other large cities with population over 100000 are Alajuela, Cartago and Puntarenas, as well as Limon and Heredia, with over 50000 inhabitants each (Encyclopedia of the Nations). The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish mend English is mainly spoken among the middle class in some urban areas, and among descendants of Jamaican origin as well (Encyclopedia of the Nations). The major religions are Roman Catholic, which is the predominant one embracing over 76 % of the population, and Evangelical shared by 13.7% of the Costa Ricans along with 1.3% Jehovahs Witnesses, 0.7% other Protestants, and other religious cults (CIA). In as much as the vast majority of Costa Ricas people belong to one and same ethnic group, namely the white one, which also includes people of mixed ancestry, the so-called whiteness would appear the factor that defines the Costa Ricas population as homogeneous this homogeneity, however, is further built by the overwhelmingly c ommon origin, hence