History of Costa Rica
A republic without an army since 1949.. 3 eras, 1542 to today.
Captaincy General of Guatemala, 1542–1821 Draft, not yet reviewed
It was an administrative division of the Spanish Empire, under the viceroyalty of New Spain in Central America. During most of the colonial period, Costa Rica was the southernmost province of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, nominally part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Costa Rica was described as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all America" by a Spanish governor in 1719. The Captaincy General ended in 1821 with the signing of the Act of Independence of Central America.
Seat of power: Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala
Rulers
- Carlos Luis de Urrutia, Captain General of Guatemala, 1818–1821
Federal Republic of Central America, 1823–1841 Draft, not yet reviewed
It was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. It was composed of five states: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It adopted a constitution, based on that of the federal government of the United States, in November 1824. A second civil war from 1838 to 1840 ended with the states of Central America declaring independence and the federal republic ceasing to exist.
Seat of power: Guatemala City
Rulers
- Juan Vicente Villacorta Díaz, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1823–1824
- Manuel José Arce, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1825–1828
- Mariano Beltranena y Llano, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1828–1829
- Francisco Morazán, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1829–1839
- José Francisco Barrundia, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1829–1830
- José Gregorio Salazar, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1834–1835
- Diego Vigil y Cocaña, President of the Federal Republic of Central America, 1839–1840
Republic of Costa Rica, 1841 to today Draft, not yet reviewed
In 1838, long after the Federal Republic of Central America ceased to function in practice, Costa Rica formally withdrew and proclaimed itself sovereign. In 1948, José Figueres Ferrer led an armed uprising in the wake of a disputed presidential election between Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia and Otilio Ulate Blanco. Following a brief civil war in 1948, Costa Rica adopted its current constitution in 1949, which granted universal suffrage. Starting in 1958, Costa Rica has held additional presidential elections every four years, the latest in 2026.
Seat of power: San José
Rulers
- Braulio Carrillo Colina, President of Costa Rica, 1835–1842
- Juan Rafael Mora Porras, President of Costa Rica, 1849–1859
- Bernardo Soto Alfaro, President of Costa Rica, 1885–1889
- José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón, President of Costa Rica, 1890–1894
- Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra, President of Costa Rica, 1902–1906
- Cleto González Víquez, President of Costa Rica, 1906–1910
- Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno, President of Costa Rica, 1910–1914
- Julio Acosta García, President of Costa Rica, 1920–1924
- Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno, President of Costa Rica, 1924–1928
- Cleto González Víquez, President of Costa Rica, 1928–1932
- Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno, President of Costa Rica, 1932–1936
- Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, President of Costa Rica, 1940–1944
- José Figueres Ferrer, President of Costa Rica, 1953–1958
- Rodrigo Chaves, President of Costa Rica, 2022–2026
- Laura Fernández Delgado, President of Costa Rica, 2026 to today
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.