Armed Forces of Costa Rica. Army of the Isthmus

Story

The Constitution adopted on November 7, 1949 prohibited the creation and maintenance of a permanent professional army in peacetime; instead, a “civil guard” was created to protect the country. Guardia Civil).

As of 1952, the total number of civil guards was 500 people, another 2 thousand people. served in the police.

On January 11-22, 1955, civil guard units repelled a military invasion from Nicaragua by armed detachments of supporters of the country's former president R. A. Calderon Guardia (according to modern estimates, about 200 people, supported by several light armored personnel carriers "Universal Carrier" and five aircraft).

In 1962, an agreement was signed with the United States on additional supplies of military equipment to the country.

Between March 1965 and September 1967, Costa Rica was a member of the Central American Defense Council ( CONDECA, Consejo de Defensa Centroamericana) . Also, there was a US military mission on the territory of Costa Rica, but its number remained insignificant until the victory of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua in 1979 - so, in 1972-1975, the total number of American military advisers was 5 people (two officers, two soldiers and one civilian specialist), the cost of maintaining the mission was 93-96 thousand dollars per year.

In 1970, with the support of the United States, an anti-drug unit was created within the Ministry of Public Security of Costa Rica, to which two American advisers were assigned - one CIA agent ( Luis Lopez Vega) and one DEA agent ( Carlos Hernandez Rumbaut) .

In 1973, with US assistance, a new police service was created ( OIJ, Organismo de Investigación Judicial) of 120 employees with functions similar to the US FBI.

As of 1976, the total number of civil guard units (including a coast guard detachment and an air detachment) was 5 thousand people. As of 1978, the Civil Guard and Coast Guard had 6 aircraft and 5 boats.

In 1980, the country's government increased military spending, as a result, the total number of civil and rural guard forces was increased from 7 thousand to 8 thousand people, patrol cars for the police, new radio stations and computers were purchased.

In addition, since the early 1980s, US military assistance to Costa Rica has increased - from zero in fiscal year 1981 to $2 million in 1982, $4.6 million in 1983, $9.2 million in 1984 and 11 million dollars in fiscal year 1985; in 1986, another $2.6 million was received.

In 1982, the Government of Costa Rica made a statement that in international relations the country was a supporter of the policy of good neighborliness and “permanent neutrality”. At the same time, in 1982, an agreement was concluded with the government of Nicaragua on joint patrolling of the border area, establishing the demarcation line on the San Juan River and the procedure for its patrolling. However, in the 1980s, in the territories along the border with Nicaragua, with the support of the US government and intelligence services, contra camps and supply bases were created (in addition, in July 1987, the Costa Rican government was forced to officially recognize the presence in the country, in area of ​​the border with Nicaragua, a network of small airfields, “from which planes supplying the contras could take off.”

Also, in 1982, four groups of American military advisers arrived in the country, military training of “civil guard” military personnel began at an American military base in the Panama Canal Zone, and the creation of new units began:

In August 1985, the country's government passed a law allowing the use of heavy weapons (including artillery and tanks) by the civilian army.

As of 1985, the total strength of the Civil Guard formations was 9,800 people.

In the years 1982-1986, several clashes between the contras and Costa Rican military and police took place in the border areas:

Between 1989 and 1993, the US Congress approved 117 permits for the sale of weapons and ammunition to Costa Rica, totaling $556,274.

In 1993, the total number of armed paramilitary forces (civil guard, maritime guard and border police) was 12 thousand people.

In 1996, military reform was carried out, as a result of which the paramilitary formations of the Civil Guard, Maritime Guard and Border Police received a common command and a single name - “People's Forces” ( Fuerza Publica de Costa Rica).

As of the beginning of 1998, the total number of Costa Rican armed forces was 7 thousand people. (3 thousand in the civil guard, 2 thousand in the rural guard and 2 thousand in the border police).

Current state

The military budget in 2009 is 180 million dollars, in 2010 - 215 million dollars.

As of 2010, the total strength of the country's armed forces is 9.8 thousand people. In the period after World War II, weapons were mainly American-made. The personnel are dressed in American-style uniforms ( OG-107), PASGT helmets and body armor have been adopted as protective equipment.

The number of paramilitary formations of the Civil Guard is 4.5 thousand people. There are several light aircraft in service (one DHC-7, two Cessna 210, two PA-31 "Navajo" and one PA-34-200T).

Border police: 2.5 thousand people.

Maritime security: 400 people, two large and eight small patrol boats.

The national police number is 2 thousand people.

Additional Information

• December 1 is a professional holiday for members of the Costa Rican armed forces (established in 1986).

Notes

1. I.I. Yanchuk. US Policy in Latin America, 1918-1928. M., "Science", 1982. pp. 170-171
2. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 294
3. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 295
4. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. / ed. coll., ch. ed. B.A. Vvedensky. 2nd ed. T.23. M., State scientific publishing house "Big Soviet Encyclopedia", 1953. p.120-124
5. Costa Rican Civil Wars: 1948 & 1955 // Air Combat Information Group, 09/01/2003
6. T. Yu. Ryutova. Costa Rica: troubling times. M., “Knowledge”, 1981. p.54
7. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. / ed. A. M. Prokhorova. 3rd ed. T.13. M., “Soviet Encyclopedia”, 1973. p.267-271
8. Marek Hagmaier. For the union - weapons. US bilateral alliance agreements 1950-1978. M. Voenizdat, 1982. p. 101
9. Soviet military encyclopedia. - T. 4. - P. 404-405.
10. [USA - Costa Rica] “Advisers” again // Izvestia, No. 293 (20274) dated October 20, 1982. p.4
11. "American military aid to Costa Rica jumped from nothing in fiscal 1981 to $2 million in 1982, $4.6 million in 1983, $9.2 million in 1984 and $11 million this year"
    Doyle McManus. U.S. to train Costa Rica Rapid Reaction Force: decaying ties with Nicaragua prompt nation to end era without Army, ask for American aid // "Los Angeles Times" May 7, 1985
12. A.V. Baryshev. Central America is the hot spot of the planet. M., "Knowledge", 1988. p.26
13. San Juan // "Foreign Military Review", No. 1 (766), January 2011 (first page of the cover)
14. A network of airfields was discovered // Izvestia, No. 197 (22004) dated July 16, 1987. p.4
15. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 298
16. They are preparing a massive invasion // "Red Star", No. 120 (18407) dated May 24, 1984. p.3
17. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 299
18. B. Kurdov. Ground forces of the Central American states // "Foreign Military Review", No. 9, 1992. pp. 7-12
19. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 317
20. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 311
21. Doyle McManus. U.S. to train Costa Rica Rapid Reaction Force: decaying ties with Nicaragua prompt nation to end era without Army, ask for American aid // "Los Angeles Times" May 7, 1985
22. Martha Honey. Hostile Acts: U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s. University Press of Florida, 1994. page 314
23. Bruce Van Voorst, George Russell, Ricardo Chavira. Nicaragua: Broadsides in a War of Nerves. // "Time" November 26, 1984
24. A. Trushin. “There shouldn’t be more police officers than teachers...” // “New Time”, No. 23, June 4, 1982. pp. 24-25
25. Wolfgang Dietrich. The truth about the conflict in Central America. 1983-1989. M., publishing house of the Institute of Latin America RAS, 1992. p.183
26. U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, A Review of Arms Export Licensing, Senate Hearing 103-670, 1994, p. 37

In previous articles, we talked about the armed forces of Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, which have always been considered the most combat-ready in the Central American isthmus. Of the Central American countries, whose armed forces we will discuss below, Honduras occupies a special place. Throughout almost the entire twentieth century, this Central American state remained the main US satellite in the region and a reliable conductor of American influence. Unlike Guatemala or Nicaragua, no left-wing governments came to power in Honduras, and the guerrilla movements could not match the numbers and scale of activity of the Nicaraguan Sandinista National Liberation Front or the Salvadoran National Liberation Front. Farabundo Marty.

“Banana Army”: how the Honduran armed forces were created

Honduras borders Nicaragua in the southeast, El Salvador in the southwest and Guatemala in the west, and is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Over 90% of the country's population are mestizo, another 7% are Indians, about 1.5% are blacks and mulattoes, and only 1% of the population are white. In 1821, Honduras, like other Central American countries, freed itself from the rule of the Spanish crown, but was immediately annexed by Mexico, which at that time was ruled by General Augustin Iturbide. However, already in 1823, the Central American countries managed to regain independence and create a federation - the United States of Central America. Honduras also joined it. However, after 15 years, the federation began to fall apart due to serious political disagreements between local political elites. On October 26, 1838, the legislative assembly, which met in the city of Comayagua, proclaimed the political sovereignty of the Republic of Honduras. What followed in Honduras, like many other Central American countries, was a series of uprisings and military coups. But even compared to its neighbors, Honduras was the most economically backward state.

By the beginning of the twentieth century. the country was considered the poorest and least developed in the Central American isthmus, inferior to El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and other countries in the region. It was the economic backwardness of Honduras that caused it to fall into complete economic and political dependence on the United States. Honduras has become a real banana republic, and this characteristic need not be put in quotation marks, since bananas were the main export item, and their cultivation has become the main industry of the Honduran economy. Over 80% of Honduras' banana plantations were managed by American companies. At the same time, unlike Guatemala or Nicaragua, the Honduran leadership was not burdened by a dependent position. One pro-American dictator succeeded another, and the United States acted as an arbiter, regulating relations between the warring clans of the Honduran elite. At times, the United States had to intervene in the political life of the country in order to prevent an armed conflict or another military coup.

As in other Central American countries, in Honduras the army has always played a major role in the political life of the country. The history of the Honduran armed forces began in the mid-19th century, when the country gained political independence from the United States of Central America. In fact, the roots of the country's armed forces go back to the era of the struggle against the Spanish colonialists, when rebel groups were formed in Central America and fought against the territorial battalions of the Spanish Captaincy General of Guatemala. On December 11, 1825, the first head of state, Dionisio de Herrer, created the country's armed forces. Initially they included 7 battalions, each of which was stationed in one of the seven departments of Honduras - Comayagua, Tegucigalpa, Choluteca, Olancho, Gracias, Santa Barbara and Yoro. The battalions were also named after the names of the departments. In 1865, the first attempt was made to create its own naval forces, but it soon had to be abandoned, because Honduras did not have the financial resources to acquire its own fleet. In 1881, the first Military Code of Honduras was adopted, which laid down the basics of army organization and management. In 1876, the country's leadership adopted the Prussian military doctrine as the basis for building its armed forces. The reorganization of the country's military schools began. In 1904, a new military school was founded, which was then headed by a Chilean officer, Colonel Luis Segundo. In 1913, an artillery school was founded, and Colonel Alfredo Labro of French origin was appointed head of it. The armed forces continued to play an important role in the life of the country. When a government conference of Central American countries was held in Washington in 1923, at which the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the United States and the Arms Reduction Convention were signed, the maximum strength of the Honduran armed forces was determined to be 2.5 thousand troops. At the same time, it was allowed to invite foreign military advisers to train the Honduran army. Around the same time, the United States began to provide significant military assistance to the government of Honduras, which was suppressing peasant uprisings. Thus, in 1925, 3 thousand rifles, 20 machine guns and 2 million cartridges were transferred from the USA. Aid to Honduras increased significantly after the signing of the Inter-American Treaty of Mutual Assistance in September 1947. By 1949, the armed forces of Honduras consisted of ground forces, air and coastal units, and their number reached 3 thousand. Human. The country's air force, created in 1931, had 46 aircraft, and the navy had 5 patrol vessels. The next military assistance agreement was signed between the United States and Honduras on May 20, 1952, but a massive increase in the amount of U.S. military assistance to Central American states followed the Cuban Revolution. Events in Cuba seriously frightened the American leadership, after which it was decided to support the armed forces and police of Central American states in the fight against rebel groups.

In 1962, Honduras became part of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA, Consejo de Defensa Centroamericana), where it remained until 1971. The training of Honduran military personnel in American military schools began. So, only in the period from 1972 to 1975. 225 Honduran officers were trained in the United States. The size of the country's armed forces was also significantly increased. In 1975, the strength of the Honduran armed forces was already about 11.4 thousand military personnel. 10 thousand soldiers and officers served in the ground forces, another 1,200 people served in the air force, and 200 people served in the navy. In addition, the National Guard consisted of 2.5 thousand military personnel. The Air Force, which had three squadrons, was armed with 26 training, combat and transport aircraft. Three years later, in 1978, the strength of the Honduran armed forces increased to 14 thousand people. The ground forces numbered 13 thousand people and consisted of 10 infantry battalions, a presidential guard battalion and 3 artillery batteries. The air force, which had 18 aircraft, continued to serve 1,200 military personnel. The only example of a war waged by Honduras in the second half of the twentieth century is the so-called. The “Football War” is a conflict with neighboring El Salvador in 1969, the formal reason for which was mass riots organized by football fans. In fact, the cause of the conflict between the two neighboring states was territorial disputes and the resettlement of Salvadoran migrants to Honduras as a less populated but larger country. The Salvadoran army managed to defeat the Honduran armed forces, but overall the war brought great damage to both countries. As a result of the fighting, at least 2 thousand people died, and the Honduran army showed itself to be much less maneuverable and modern than the armed forces of El Salvador.

Modern Honduran Army

Since Honduras managed to avoid the fate of its neighbors Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador, where large-scale guerrilla wars of communist organizations against government troops took place, the country's armed forces could undergo a “baptism of fire” outside the country. So, in the 1980s. The Honduran army repeatedly sent armed units to help Salvadoran government forces fighting the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front rebels. The Sandinista victory in Nicaragua forced the United States to pay even closer attention to its main satellite in Central America. The volume of financial and military assistance to Honduras increased sharply, as the number of armed forces also grew. In the 1980s the number of personnel in the armed forces of Honduras increased from 14.2 thousand to 24.2 thousand people. To train Honduran army personnel, additional groups of American military advisers arrived in the country, including instructors from Green Beret units, who were to train Honduran commandos in counterinsurgency methods. Another important military partner of the country was Israel, which also sent about 50 military advisers and specialists to Honduras and began supplying armored vehicles and small arms for the needs of the Honduran army. An air base was established in Palmerola, and 7 runways were repaired, from which helicopters with cargo and volunteers took off for the contra units, who were waging a guerrilla war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. In 1982, joint US-Honduran military exercises began and became regular. First of all, before the armed forces of Honduras in the 1980s. The tasks were set to combat the partisan movement, since the American patrons of Tegucigalpa rightly feared the spread of the revolutionary movement to countries neighboring Nicaragua and the emergence of a Sandinista underground in Honduras itself. But this did not happen - backward in socio-economic terms, Honduras was also behind in politics - the Honduran left never had influence in the country comparable to the influence of Salvadoran or Nicaraguan left-wing organizations.

Currently, the strength of the armed forces of Honduras is about 8.5 thousand people. In addition, 60 thousand people are in the reserve of the armed forces. The armed forces include the ground forces, air force and navy. The ground forces number 5.5 thousand military personnel and include 5 infantry brigades (101st, 105th, 110th, 115th, 120th) and the command of the Special Operations Forces, as well as individual army units - 10th Infantry Battalion, 1st Military Engineer Battalion and a separate Army Logistics Support Command. The 101st Infantry Brigade includes the 11th Infantry Battalion, the 4th Artillery Battalion and the 1st Armored Cavalry Regiment. The 105th Infantry Brigade includes the 3rd, 4th and 14th Infantry Battalions and the 2nd Artillery Battalion. The 110th Infantry Brigade includes the 6th and 9th Infantry Battalions and the 1st Signal Battalion. The 115th Infantry Brigade includes the 5th, 15th and 16th Infantry Battalions and the Army Military Training Center. The 120th Infantry Brigade includes the 7th Infantry and 12th Infantry battalions. Special Operations Forces include the 1st and 2nd Infantry Battalions, the 1st Artillery Battalion, and the 1st Special Forces Battalion.

The country's ground forces are armed with: 12 British-made Scorpion light tanks, 89 infantry fighting vehicles ((16 Israeli RBY-1, 69 British Saladin, 1 Sultan, 3 Simitar), 48 artillery weapons and 120 mortars, 88 anti-aircraft guns. The Honduran Air Force numbers 1,800 personnel. The air force operates 49 combat aircraft and 12 helicopters. However, in reality, much of the aircraft is in storage, and those aircraft and helicopters that are in service are also obsolete Among the combat aircraft of the Honduran Air Force, it should be noted 6 old American F-5 (4 E, 2 combat trainer F), 6 American anti-guerrilla light attack aircraft A-37B. In addition, 11 French Super Mister fighters, 2 old AC-47 and a number of other aircraft. Transport aviation is represented by 1 C-130A, 2 Cessna-182, 1 Cessna-185, 5 Cessna-210, 1 IAI-201, 2 PA-31, 2 Czech L-410, 1 Brazilian ERJ135. In addition, a significant number of old transport aircraft are in storage. Honduran pilots are learning to fly on 7 Brazilian EMB-312 and 7 American MXT-7-180 aircraft. In addition, the country's Air Force has 10 helicopters - 6 American Bell-412, 1 Bell-429, 2 UH-1H, 1 French AS350.

The Honduran naval forces number about 1 thousand officers and sailors and are armed with 12 modern patrol and landing boats. Among them, it should be noted 2 Dutch-built Lempira-type boats (Damen 4207), 6 Damen 1102 boats. In addition, the Navy has 30 small boats with weak weapons. These are: 3 Guaymuras boats, 5 Nacaome boats, 3 Tegucigalpa boats, 1 Hamelekan boat, 8 Pirana river boats and 10 Boston river boats. In addition to the naval personnel, the Honduran Navy also includes 1 battalion of marines. Sometimes units of the Honduran armed forces take part in operations conducted by the American army on the territory of other states. Thus, from August 3, 2003 to May 4, 2004, a Honduran contingent of 368 military personnel was in Iraq as part of the Plus-Ultra brigade. This brigade consisted of 2,500 troops from Spain, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua and was part of the Center-West division, which was under the command of Poland (more than half of the troops in the brigade were Spanish, the rest were officers and soldiers from Central Asia). America).

The Honduran armed forces are recruited through conscription for a period of 2 years. Officers of the Honduran Armed Forces are trained at the following military educational institutions: the University of Defense of Honduras in Tegucigalpa, the Military Academy of Honduras. General Francisco Morazan in Las Tapias, the Military Aviation Academy at the air base in Comayagua, the Honduran Naval Academy in the port of La Ceiba on the Caribbean Sea, the Northern Higher Military School in San Pedro Sula. The country's armed forces have established military ranks that are similar to the hierarchy of military ranks in other Central American countries, but have their own specifics. In the ground forces and the air force, generally identical, but with some differences, ranks are established: 1) division general, 2) brigadier general, 3) colonel (aviation colonel), 4) lieutenant colonel (aviation lieutenant colonel), 5) major (major aviation), 6) captain (aviation captain), 7) lieutenant (aviation lieutenant), 8) sub-lieutenant (aviation sub-lieutenant), 9) sub-officer commander 3rd class (sub-officer 3rd class chief aviation officer), 10) sub - officer commander 2nd class (sub-officer 2nd class senior aviation master), 11) sub-officer commander 1st class (sub-officer 1st class aviation master), 12) sergeant major 13) first sergeant 14) second sergeant 15) third sergeant, 16) corporal (air security corporal), 17) soldier (air security soldier). The Honduran Navy has the following ranks: 1) vice admiral, 2) rear admiral, 3) ship captain, 4) frigate captain, 5) corvette captain, 6) ship lieutenant, 7) frigate lieutenant, 8) frigate alferez , 9) countermaster 1st class, 10) countermaster 2nd class, 11) countermaster 3rd class, 12) naval sergeant major, 13) naval first sergeant, 14) naval second sergeant, 15) naval third sergeant, 16) naval corporal, 17 ) sailor.

The command of the country's armed forces is exercised by the president through the Secretary of State for National Defense and the Chief of the General Staff. Currently, the post of Chief of the General Staff is occupied by Brigadier General Francisco Isaias Alvarez Urbino. The commander of the ground forces is Brigadier General René Orlando Fonseca, the air force is Brigadier General Jorge Alberto Fernandez Lopez, and the naval force is captain Jesus Benitez. Currently, Honduras continues to be one of the key US satellites in Central America. The American leadership views Honduras as one of the most obedient allies in Latin America. At the same time, Honduras is also one of the most problematic countries of the “isthmus”. There is a very low standard of living here and a high crime rate, which prompts the country's government to use the army primarily to perform police functions.

Costa Rica: the most peaceful country and its Civil Guard

Costa Rica is the most unusual country in Central America. Firstly, here, compared to other countries in the region, there is a very high standard of living (2nd place in the region after Panama), and secondly, it is considered a “white” country. “White” descendants of European settlers from Spain (Galicia and Aragon) make up 65.8% of the population of Costa Rica, 13.6% are mestizos, 6.7% are mulattoes, 2.4% are Indians and 1% are blacks . Another highlight of Costa Rica is the absence of an army. Adopted on November 7, 1949, the Constitution of Costa Rica prohibited the creation and maintenance of a permanent professional army in peacetime. Until 1949, Costa Rica had its own armed forces. By the way, unlike other countries in Central and South America, Costa Rica avoided the war of independence. In 1821, after the proclamation of the independence of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, Costa Rica also became an independent country, and its inhabitants learned of the country's sovereignty two months late. At the same time, in 1821, the construction of a national army began. However, Costa Rica, which is relatively calm by Central American standards, was not particularly concerned with military issues. By 1890, the country's armed forces consisted of a regular army of 600 soldiers and officers and a reserve militia, which included more than 31 thousand reservists. In 1921, Costa Rica tried to make territorial claims to neighboring Panama and sent parts of its troops into Panamanian territory, but the United States soon intervened in the conflict, after which Costa Rican troops left Panama. In accordance with the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the United States and the Arms Reduction Convention, signed in 1923 in Washington, Costa Rica pledged to have an army of no more than 2 thousand troops.

By December 1948, the total strength of Costa Rica's armed forces was 1,200. However, in 1948-1949. There was a civil war in the country, after the end of which a decision was made to liquidate the armed forces. Instead of the armed forces, the Costa Rican Civil Guard was created. In 1952, the Civil Guard numbered 500 people, another 2 thousand people served in the National Police of Costa Rica. Officers of the Civil Guard were trained at the School of the Americas in the Panama Canal Zone; police officers were trained in the USA. Despite the fact that the Civil Guard did not formally have the status of an armed force, the guard units had armored personnel carriers at their disposal, and in 1964 an aviation squadron was created as part of the Civil Guard. By 1976, the strength of the Civil Guard, including the coast guard and aviation, was about 5 thousand people. The United States continued to provide the most significant military-technical, financial and organizational assistance in strengthening the Costa Rican Civil Guard. Thus, the United States supplied weapons and trained officers of the Civil Guard.

The United States began to help Costa Rica most actively in strengthening the Civil Guard in the early 1980s, after the Sandinista victory in Nicaragua. Although there was no guerrilla movement in Costa Rica, the United States, nevertheless, did not want to spread revolutionary ideas to this country, for which much attention was paid to strengthening police services. In 1982, with the help of the United States, the intelligence service DIS - the Directorate of Security and Intelligence - was created, two anti-terrorist companies of the Civil Guard were formed - the first company was located in the San Juan River area and consisted of 260 military personnel, and the second was stationed on the Atlantic coast and consisted of 100 military personnel. Also in 1982, the OPEN volunteer society was created, in which 7-14-week courses taught everyone how to handle small arms, the basics of combat tactics and medical care. This is how the 5,000-strong reserve of the Civil Guard was prepared. In 1985, under the leadership of instructors from the American Green Berets, the Relampagos border guard battalion of 800 people was created. and a special forces battalion of 750 people. The need to create special forces was explained by the growing conflicts with the militants of the Nicaraguan Contras, several of whose camps operated in Costa Rica. By 1993, the total number of Costa Rican armed forces (civil guard, maritime guard and border police) was 12 thousand people. In 1996, a reform of the country's security forces was carried out, according to which the Civil Guard, the Maritime Guard and the Border Police were united into the “Public Forces of Costa Rica”. The stabilization of the political situation in Central America contributed to a reduction in the number of armed groups in Costa Rica from 12 thousand people in 1993 to 7 thousand people in 1998.

Currently, the leadership of the security forces of Costa Rica is exercised by the head of state through the Ministry of Public Security. Subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security are: the Civil Guard of Costa Rica (4.5 thousand people), which includes the Air Surveillance Service; National Police (2 thousand people), Border Police (2.5 thousand people), Coast Guard (400 people). Operating as part of the Civil Guard of Costa Rica, the Air Surveillance Service is armed with 1 DHC-7 light aircraft, 2 Cessna 210 aircraft, 2 PA-31 Navajo aircraft and 1 PA-34-200T aircraft, as well as 1 MD 600N helicopter . Ground forces of the Civil Guard include 7 territorial companies - in Alayuel, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas and San José, and 3 battalions - 1 battalion of the Presidential Guard, 1 battalion of border security (on the border with Nicaragua) and 1 anti-terrorist counter-guerrilla battalion . In addition, there is an anti-terrorist Special Action Group of 60-80 soldiers, divided into assault groups of 11 people and teams of 3-4 people. All of these forces are called upon to ensure the national security of Costa Rica, fight crime, drug trafficking and illegal migration, and, if necessary, protect the state’s borders.

Panama: when the police replaced the army

Costa Rica's southeastern neighbor, Panama, has also not had its own armed forces since 1990. The liquidation of the country's armed forces was the result of the American military operation of 1989-1990, as a result of which the President of Panama, General Manuel Noriega, was overthrown, arrested and taken to the United States. Until 1989, the country had quite large armed forces by Central American standards, the history of which was inextricably linked with the history of Panama itself. The first paramilitary units in Panama appeared in 1821, when Central America fought against the Spanish colonialists. Then the lands of modern Panama became part of Gran Colombia, and after its collapse in 1830 - part of the Republic of New Granada, which existed until 1858 and included the territories of Panama, Colombia, as well as part of the lands that are now part of Ecuador and Venezuela.

From about the 1840s. The United States of America began to show great interest in the Isthmus of Panama. It was under American influence that Panama separated from Colombia. On November 2, 1903, US Navy ships arrived in Panama, and on November 3, 1903, Panama's independence was declared. Already on November 18, 1903, an agreement was signed between Panama and the United States, according to which the United States received the right to station its armed forces on Panamanian territory and to control the Panama Canal zone. Since that time, Panama has become a complete satellite of the United States, actually under external control. In 1946, in the Panama Canal Zone, on the territory of the American military base Fort Amador, the “Latin American Training Center” was created, later moved to the Fort Gulick base and renamed the “School of the Americas”. Here, under the guidance of US Army instructors, military personnel from many countries in Central and South America were trained. The defense and security of Panama at this time was provided by national police units, on the basis of which the Panama National Guard was created in December 1953. In 1953, the National Guard consisted of 2,000 troops armed with small arms, mostly American-made. The Panama National Guard regularly participated in the suppression of student and peasant protests throughout the country, including in battles with small guerrilla groups that became active in the 1950s and 1960s.

On October 11, 1968, a military coup took place in Panama, organized by a group of National Guard officers who sympathized with left-wing nationalist and anti-imperialist ideas. Lieutenant Colonel Omar Efrain Torrijos Herrera (1929-1981), a professional military man who had served as executive secretary of the Panama National Guard since 1966, and before that commanded the 5th military zone, covering the northwestern province of Chiriqui, came to power in the country. Graduate of the military school named after. Gerardo Barrios in El Salvador, Omar Torrijos, almost from the first days of his service, began to create an illegal revolutionary officer organization in the ranks of the National Guard. With the arrival of Torrijos, relations between Panama and the United States began to crack. Thus, Torrijos refused to renew the US lease of a military base in Rio Hato. In addition, in 1977, the Panama Canal Treaty and the Treaty on Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Canal were signed, which provided for the return of the canal to the jurisdiction of Panama. Social reforms and achievements of Panama under Omar Torrijos require a separate article. After the death of Torrijos in a plane crash, clearly staged by his enemies, actual power in the country was in the hands of General Manuel Noriega (born 1934), head of the Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the National Guard, who became commander of the National Guard and, without formally holding the post of head state, however, exercised real leadership of the country. In 1983, the National Guard was transformed into the Panama National Defense Forces. By this time, Panama no longer benefited from US military assistance. Understanding full well that the deterioration of relations with the United States is fraught with intervention, Noriega increased the number of the National Defense Forces to 12 thousand people, and also created the Dignidad volunteer battalions with a total number of 5 thousand people, armed with small arms from National Guard warehouses. The Panama National Defense Forces by 1989 included ground forces, air forces and naval forces. The ground forces numbered 11.5 thousand military personnel and included 7 infantry companies, 1 parachute company and militia battalions, and were armed with 28 armored vehicles. The air force, numbering 200 personnel, had 23 aircraft and 20 helicopters. The naval force, numbering 300 people, was armed with 8 patrol boats. But in December 1989, as a result of the American invasion of Panama, the regime of General Noriega was overthrown.

On February 10, 1990, the new pro-American President of Panama, Guillermo Endara, announced the disbandment of the armed forces. Currently, the Ministry of Public Security is responsible for ensuring national security in Panama. Subordinate to him are the Civilian Security Forces: 1) National Police of Panama, 2) National Air and Maritime Service of Panama, 3) National Border Guard of Panama. The National Police of Panama has 11 thousand employees and includes 1 presidential guard battalion, 1 military police battalion, 8 separate military police companies, 18 police companies and a special forces detachment. The air service employs 400 people and operates 15 light and transport aircraft and 22 helicopters. The maritime service employs 600 people and is armed with 5 large and 13 small patrol boats, 9 auxiliary ships and boats. The National Border Guard Service of Panama has over 4 thousand military personnel. It is this paramilitary structure that is entrusted with the main tasks of defending the borders of Panama, but in addition, border guards participate in ensuring national security, constitutional order and in the fight against crime. Currently, the National Border Guard Service of Panama includes 7 combat battalions and 1 logistics battalion. On the border with Colombia there are 6 battalions deployed in the Eastern Brigade - the Caribbean Battalion, the Central Battalion, the Pacific Battalion, the River Battalion, the Battalion named after. General José de Fabregas and the logistics battalion. The western special forces battalion is stationed on the border with the Republic of Costa Rica, which also includes 3 special forces companies - anti-drug, jungle operations, attack and Cobra infiltration.

Thus, at present, Panama has much in common with Costa Rica in the field of national defense - it has also abandoned regular armed forces, and is content with paramilitary police forces, which, however, are comparable in size to the armed forces of other Central American states.

Defense forces of the smallest country "Isthmus"

Concluding the review of the armed forces of Central America, we will tell you about the army of Belize, the seventh country of the “Isthmus”, which is not often mentioned in the media. Belize is the only English-speaking country on the Isthmus. This is a former British colony, until 1973 called “British Honduras”. Belize gained political independence in 1981. The country's population is more than 322 thousand people, with 49.7% of the population being Spanish-Indian mestizo (English-speaking), 22.2% - Anglo-African mulatto, 9.9% - Mayan Indians, 4.6% - “Garifuna” (Afro-Indian mestizo), another 4.6% - “white” (mainly German Mennonites) and 3.3% - immigrants from China, India and Arab countries. The history of the Belize Armed Forces began during the colonial era and dates back to 1817, when the Royal Honduras Militia was created. Later this structure underwent many renamings and by the 1970s. was called the "Volunteer Guards of British Honduras" (since 1973 - Belize Volunteer Guards). In 1978, the Belize Defense Force was created on the basis of the Belize Volunteer Guard. The main assistance in organizing, providing military equipment and weapons, and financing the Belize Defense Forces has traditionally been provided by Great Britain. Until 2011, British units were stationed in Belize, one of whose tasks was, among other things, to ensure the country’s security from territorial claims from neighboring Guatemala.

Currently, the Belize Defense Force, Police Department and National Coast Guard are subordinate to the Belize Ministry of National Security. The Belize Defense Force has a strength of 1,050 personnel. Recruitment is carried out on a contract basis, and the number of people wishing to enlist in military service is three times greater than the number of available vacancies. The Belize Defense Forces include: 3 infantry battalions, each of which in turn consists of three infantry companies; 3 reserve companies; 1 support group; 1 air wing. In addition, the country has a Belize Police Department, which has 1,200 police officers and 700 civilian employees. Assistance in training personnel and maintaining military equipment for the Belize Defense Forces is provided by British military advisers located in the country. Of course, the military potential of Belize is negligible and in the event of an attack on this country, even by Guatemala, the country’s Defense Forces have no chance of winning. But, since Belize is a former British colony and is under the protection of Great Britain, in the event of conflict situations, the country's Defense Forces can always count on the prompt assistance of the British army, air force and navy.

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In the 20th century alone, more than 150 million people lost their lives due to war. War means not only the death of people, but also great financial losses. Today, the world's top military powers easily spend trillions of dollars every year to maintain and improve their armies. Despite the enormous costs, most governments consider defense spending a basic necessity. After all, the world is not ready for peace... However, there are a small number of countries that have decided not to have an army at all. Let's look at why they came to this decision and how they defend themselves.

DID YOU KNOW?
On May 23, 2003, Paul Bremer III, the civilian head of U.S. forces in postwar Iraq, issued a highly controversial directive that called for the dissolution of the 500,000-strong Iraqi military. Although plans for a new Iraqi army were announced shortly thereafter, for a short time Iraq did not have its own army.

List of countries without an army

Andorra

The people of Andorra have a small number of military personnel who perform purely ceremonial functions. To protect itself from external threats, the country signed treaties with neighboring countries: France and Spain. NATO forces will also protect this country if necessary. Andorra has a small paramilitary force, but it is part of the national police force.

Costa Rica

After the civil war in 1948, President José Figueres Ferrer disbanded the army. In 1949, he added a ban on the creation of a standing army to the Costa Rican constitution. The South American country has a security force for the public, but its responsibilities extend only within the state's territory. Costa Rica also has significant, well-trained military units, civilian and rural security units, and border security police.

Dominica

Following an attempted military coup in 1981, the Dominican government disbanded its armed forces. Currently, external security is the responsibility of the Regional Security System (RSS), which is formed by the island states of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Grenada

After the United States invaded in 1983, Grenada no longer had a regular army. But there is a paramilitary force as part of the Royal Grenada Police that handles internal security matters. External security is the responsibility of the Regional Security System (RSS).

Haiti

The Haitian army was disbanded in 1995. Since then, the Haitian National Police has been in charge of security. It consists of several paramilitary and coastal guard units. In 2012, Haitian President Michel Martelly announced the restoration of the Haitian army to stabilize the country. This means that Haiti may soon disappear from this list.

Iceland

Iceland had a regular army until 1869. After a period of insecurity, the country signed agreements with the US to maintain Iceland's defense forces, and there was a US military base there from 1951 to 2006. Iceland currently has a military peacekeeping expeditionary force called the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit, which is an active part of NATO. This also means that fellow NATO members take turns guarding Icelandic airspace. The country also has an air defense system, an armed coast guard and tactical police, meaning that despite the lack of an army, Iceland is far from defenseless.

Kiribati

Kiribati's constitution allows only a police force, which includes a maritime security unit that is used only for internal security. For external protection, there are informal agreements with neighboring countries New Zealand and Australia.

Liechtenstein

The Principality is considered one of the richest countries in the world, so it is surprising that Liechtenstein disbanded its army in 1868 because it was considered too expensive to maintain. But there is a provision for the formation of an army if the country is under threat of war. So far, such a situation has never arisen. Internal security is the responsibility of the police and special forces.

Marshall Islands

Since its founding in 1979, the Marshall Islands are only allowed to have a police force and a maritime internal security department. External defense is handled by the United States.

Mauritius

Mauritius has not had a standing army since 1968, but there are three groups that deal with security - the National Police for internal law and order, the National Coast Guard for maritime surveillance, and a special mobile paramilitary unit. All these forces are headed by the Commissioner of Police. Mauritius is advised by the United States on counter-terrorism matters, and the coast guard regularly trains with the Indian Navy.

Micronesia

Until the end of World War II, these islands in the Pacific Ocean were under Japanese rule. However, since independence and founding, the Federated States of Micronesia has only allowed the formation of a police force. Like the Marshall Islands, the United States is involved in the protection of Micronesia. Being small in size and lacking external enemies, maintaining an army is considered impractical.

Monaco

There has been no army in Monaco since the 17th century. However, the country still has two small military units, one protecting the royalty and the judiciary, and the other dealing with firefighting and internal civilian security. There is also a National Police of up to 300 people. France is in charge of external defense.

Nauru

Nauru takes care of internal security through a sizable, well-armed police force, with many active and reserve forces. The island nation also has an informal agreement with Australia to protect against external threats.

Palau

The country has a similar security system to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia: a small police force, a maritime police unit, and relies on the United States for external security.

Panama

Following the US invasion of Panama to overthrow military dictator Manuel Noriega, the army was disbanded in 1990. Panama now has a National Police, a National Border Guard, an Institutional Security Service, and a National Air and Maritime Service, which are considered Panamanian public forces. Each of these units has limited capabilities for waging war.

Saint Lucia

The country's internal security is handled by the Royal Police and Coast Guard, and its external security is handled by the regional security system.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Internal security is handled by the Royal Constabulary and paramilitary forces from the Special and Coast Guard, which are deployed throughout the country. Most Coast Guard commanders are former Royal Navy officers.

Samoa

Like Palau and the Marshall Islands, Samoa has a small police force and maritime surveillance unit for internal security and border protection. Under the Treaty of Amity, the defense of Samoa is New Zealand's responsibility.

San Marino

San Marino has a very small military unit, whose duties are of a ceremonial nature. It also has a small but well-armed police force. This small country is completely dependent on Italy for national defense.

Solomon islands

The Solomon Islands had their own army, which disintegrated during the ethnic conflict between the two nationalities of this country in 1998-2003. Law and order was restored with the help of a joint mission from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, Samoa, Palau, Niue, Nauru, Kiribati, Micronesia, Cook Islands, and Marshall Islands). The mission was named the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RIMS). Today, internal security is the responsibility of a significant police force and a maritime coast guard unit. External threats are still dealt with by RAMSI.

Tuvalu

Since its founding, Tuvalu has never had its own army. To maintain order, there is only a small but well-armed police and coast guard. In matters of external security, the country relies on informal partnerships with other countries in the Pacific region.

Vanuatu

Although the country has never had a proper army, Vanuatu's police force includes a highly trained paramilitary unit called the Vanuatu Mobile Force. The country is also dependent on other Pacific nations for external threats.

Vatican

Two military units of the smallest country in the world, namely the Palatine Guard and the Noble Guard, were disbanded at the Vatican in 1970. Since then, the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Corps of Gendarmerie have been responsible for internal security. The Vatican is a neutral state, but there is an unofficial defense treaty with Italy. The Vatican's limited security forces are not designed to wage war. Their tasks primarily include law enforcement functions, border protection and combating smuggling.

Republic of Costa Rica(Spanish) Republic of Costa Rica - rich coast) - a state in Central America. It borders two countries: Nicaragua in the north and the Republic of Panama in the southeast. The Pacific Ocean washes the shores from the south and west and the Caribbean Sea from the east. Even by Central American standards, Costa Rica is a small country, with only 2 countries in the region (El Salvador and Belize) having a smaller area, and 2 (Panama and Belize) having a smaller population. At the same time, in terms of living standards among Central American countries, Costa Rica ranks 2nd, second only to Panama.

Story

During the pre-Columbian period, most of Costa Rica was inhabited by the Huetar and Bribri.

In the 16th century, Spanish settlers settled the Central Plateau of Costa Rica, where before that, as well as throughout the country, the Indian population was small.

The country's poverty in mineral resources and climatic conditions led to the fact that mainly poor immigrants from Spain settled in Costa Rica, which led to the creation not of large plantations (as in other Spanish colonies in America), but of small or medium-sized farms.

These small farms grew wheat, corn, sugar cane, tobacco, beans, cocoa and some other crops. In 1808, the first seedlings of coffee trees were brought to Costa Rica from Cuba, and soon this crop became widespread.

Negro slaves were almost never brought into Costa Rica (due to the poverty of small farms), but a certain number of blacks and mulattoes settled in the country, mainly on the Atlantic coast - from fugitive slaves and pirates. The bulk of the black population appeared on the Caribbean coast in connection with the construction of the interoceanic railway in 1868-1870.

There were several presidents between 1859 and 1870. In 1871, President Thomas Gutierrez adopted a new constitution that abolished the death penalty and encouraged foreign investment. The American company United Fruit began expanding into Costa Rica, buying up land. This company organized a large export production in Costa Rica - in addition to coffee, also bananas, cocoa, pineapples and other crops. The company also built a railway network in Costa Rica.

In the 1930s, leftist movements gained strength. On the other hand, supporters of the pro-Hitler orientation created the Nazi Party of Costa Rica. In 1941, Costa Rica, like most Latin American countries, declared war on the Axis countries, but only took part in hostilities by sending several of its pilots to the front - as part of the French and US troops.

In 1948-1949, there was a civil war in Costa Rica. It made such a deep impression on the country that a law was passed to abolish regular military forces. Since 1948, there has been no army in Costa Rica, only police. In 1955, the former president and his supporters organized a military invasion of Costa Rica. He was supported by Batista, the dictator of Cuba, and other dictators in the region. José Figueres Ferrer, President of Costa Rica, appealed to the OAS, and the invasion ended.

In the 1970s, the country experienced economic instability due to falling coffee prices and rising oil prices, but the country continued to be the most stable in the Central American region. In 1979, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Carazo Odio initially supported the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Soon the first left-wing guerrilla groups appeared in Costa Rica itself, apparently inspired by the success of the Sandinistas. The opposite far-right tendency was consolidated in the Costa Rican Freedom Movement, which formed storm troopers to fight communism and Sandinismo.

In 1990, Calderon, whose father had been president before, was elected president of the country.

On March 19, 2009, the President of Costa Rica (previously considered one of the loyal “aircraft carriers” of the United States in the region), Oscar Aries, announced that his country was renewing ties with the disgraced Cuba, interrupted almost 50 years ago. Oscar Aries is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

On February 7, 2010, Laura Chinchilla was elected, and on May 8, Laura Chinchilla, the first female president in the country's history, officially took office.

Since May 8, 2014, the president has been Luis Guillermo Solis, a representative of the Civic Activity Party (Spanish. Partido Acción Ciudadana ), which for the first time in the history of the country replaced the two traditionally previously ruling parties: the Party of Social-Christian Unity ( Partido Unidad Social Cristiana) and the National Liberation Party (Partido Liberación nacional).

On May 8, 2018, Carlos Alvarado Quesada became president.

Geography

Relief of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the smallest countries in Central America. It is located in a narrow part of the isthmus connecting two continents. In the southwest the country is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the northeast by the Caribbean Sea. The coastline stretches for 1290 km. The two rivers Pacuare and Reventazon are excellent for rafting and are located east of the capital San José.

Costa Rica's northern neighbor is Nicaragua, and Panama's southern neighbor. The total territory of the country is 51.1 thousand km², including Cocos Island (Isla del Coco), plus 589 thousand km² of territorial waters.

Costa Rica is a nature reserve country (there are 74 nature reserves in total), where a riot of wild flora and fauna is surrounded by mountains and ocean. The main attractions of the country are national parks, mountain and underwater caves, as well as waterfalls, picturesque mountain and river valleys, and volcanoes. Protected natural areas occupy about 27% of the country's area.

Mountain ranges stretch from north to south across the entire country, between them is the Central Plateau - here are fertile soils, and this is where a significant part of the population of Costa Rica lives. The mountains surrounding the plateau are mostly of volcanic origin, and there are also active volcanoes. The most famous Costa Rican volcano is the active, young Arenal Volcano. This is a high mountain with a regular conical shape. At night, Arenal is illuminated and illuminates the surrounding area during an eruption. The highest volcano is Irazu (3432 m). And the highest point, Chirripo (3820 m), is located in the south of the country. Lake Arenal is the largest of the country's lakes and is of artificial origin.

Arenal Volcano National Park

550 km from the coast of Costa Rica in the Pacific Ocean is the uninhabited island of Cocos (Isla del Coco, English Cocos), with an area of ​​24 km². It is the world's largest officially uninhabited island. Robert Louis Stevenson settled the legendary Captain Flint here, and Jacques-Yves Cousteau called the island “the most beautiful in the world.” This is a wild place, untouched by civilization, covered with jungle forests. This island is also a diving center, with thousands of tourists from all over the world coming here every year to plunge into the crystal clear waters of the ocean. In addition to Cocos, Costa Rica has other uninhabited islands - Negritos and Los Pájaros.

Climate

This country offers some of the best diversity of wildlife on Earth. Costa Rica, which is the size of the Voronezh region, is home to 500,000 diverse species - about 4% of all plants, insects and animals on Earth.

National parks

Demography

Population size: 4.5 million (estimate as of July 2010).

Annual growth: 1,3 %

Fertility: 16.7 per 1000;

Mortality: 4.3 per 1000;

Immigration: 1.1 per 1000;

Infant mortality: 9.7 per 1000 births;

Lifespan: on average 77.5 years (74.9 years for men and 80.3 years for women) (2010).

According to the 1949 Constitution, Catholicism was declared the official religion, the church is not separated from the state and is partially financed from the state budget. In public schools in Costa Rica, the only North American republic, the teaching of religious subjects was introduced. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but clergy cannot be elected to the legislative assembly. There is a Protestant theological seminary in San Jose, where students from various countries of North and South America study. However, the movement for the separation of church and state is gradually gaining momentum. The majority of Costa Rican presidential candidates in 2009 were in favor of such a measure.

Foreign policy

Costa Rica actively participates in the activities of the UN and OAS. Costa Rica has voting rights in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Institute of Peace and in many other international organizations related to human rights and democracy.

The main goal of Costa Rica's international policy is to stimulate the continued development of human rights as a way to maintain stability and growth. Costa Rica is also a member of the International Criminal Court and an observer in the Non-Aligned Movement. Since 1949, Costa Rica has been a permanently neutral state.

Economy

Costa Rica's economy is based on tourism, agriculture and the manufacturing and export of electronics (microprocessors and medical devices). Foreign investors are attracted by political stability, skilled labor, and tax incentives.

GDP per capita in 2016 - $11,835 (58th place in the world) [ ] .

Industry (25% of GDP, 22% of employees) - microprocessor production, food industry, medical equipment, textiles and clothing, building materials, fertilizers.

Agriculture (6% of GDP, 14% of workers) - bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; logging.

The service sector accounts for 69% of GDP, 64% of workers.

Fuel prices are regulated by the state; all gas stations have the same price. Costa Rica does not have a uniform minimum wage for all sectors of the economy. It is established separately for each sector of the country's economy. From January 1, 2019, the minimum wage ranges from ₡ 10358.55 (17) per day for unskilled workers to ₡ 663772.10 (1089.65) per month for university graduates.

International trade

Exports in 2008 - $9.6 billion - electronics, medical devices, bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood.

The main buyers are the USA 23.9%, the Netherlands 13.3%, China 13%, Great Britain 5%, Mexico 4.9%.

Imports in 2008 - $14.6 billion - raw materials, consumer goods, industrial equipment, petroleum products.

The main suppliers are the USA 42.7%, Mexico 6.9%, Venezuela 6.3%, Japan 5.4%, China 4.6%.

Armed forces

Culture

Costa Ricans often refer to themselves as "tico" (masculine) and "tica" (feminine). The word tico comes from the local suffix "tico" or "tica" (for example, "momentico" instead of "momentito"). The phrase "Pura Vida" ("Immaculate Life") is the main slogan of Costa Rica. The younger generation says "mae" - short for "maje" (mae means guy, dude) - when addressing each other, although such an address may be perceived as an insult towards the older generation; maje is a synonym for tonto, which means fool, fool.

Costa Rica is proud of its history. Mesoamerican and South American cultures met on the territory of the modern country. The Nicoya Peninsula, located in the northwest, was the southernmost area of ​​influence of Aztec culture at the time the Spanish conquerors arrived (16th century); on the other hand, the original culture of Gran Nicoya existed here in the pre-Columbian period. The influence of the Chibcha culture was widespread in the central and southern regions of the country. However, the local inhabitants influenced modern Costa Rican culture only to a small extent, as they died of disease and were exterminated by the Spaniards.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic coast was settled by African workers in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many African Costa Ricans are descended from Jamaican workers who in the 19th century built a network of railways between the population centers of the Central Plateau and the port of Limon on the Caribbean coast. Italian and Chinese immigrants were also involved in railroad construction.

Mass media

Among the media, the most widespread are newspapers and radio. La Nacion, La Republica and La Prensa Libre are San José's largest Spanish-language dailies. The Tico Times and Costa Rica Today are English-language newspapers aimed primarily at tourists.

State television and radio company - SINART ( Sistema Nacional de Radio y Televisión- "National System of Radio and Television") - includes the Canal 13 television channel and the Radio Nacional radio channel.

Literature

One of the most famous writers of Costa Rica - the author of the first national novels, Joaquín García Monje (1881-1958) - for many years led the publication of the periodical magazine Repertorio Americano (1919-1958), which was famous throughout Latin America. A noticeable mark in the literature of the 20th century. also left by the poet Roberto Brenes Mesen (1874-1947), prose writers Carmen Lira (1888-1949), Carlos Luis Fallas (1909-1966), Fabian Dobles, Yolanda Oreamuno (1916-1956), Joaquin Gutierrez (1918-2000), Quince Duncan, Alberto Cañas, Carmen Naranjo and poet Alfonso Chase. Currently, the country is represented at international literary forums by the poet Osvaldo Sauma.

Architecture and fine arts

In San José, Cartago and Orosi, some buildings built in the Spanish colonial style remain. Among contemporary artists, the most famous are the painter, sculptor and writer Max Jimenez (1908-1947), the sculptor Francisco Zúñiga (b. 1913), the engraver Francisco Amighetti (b. 1908) and the painter Rafael Fernandez. Products made of gold from Indians of the pre-Hispanic era, as well as a collection of paintings, are presented in the Museum of the Central Bank of Costa Rica (San Jose), products made of jade - in the Jade Museum.

Theaters and libraries

Opera performances and symphony concerts take place in the building of the National Theater in San Jose with staircases and balconies made of Carrara marble, built at the request of the Costa Rican “coffee barons” (who were very offended that one of the invited opera stars refused to come to the country for performances in an open area) by the best European architects, and at the time of construction not inferior to the best similar buildings in Europe. In addition to it, there are many small theaters in the capital.

The National Library in San Jose, founded in 1888, stores more than 175 thousand volumes, and the library of the University of Costa Rica, founded in 1946, holds approx. 100 thousand volumes. There are also significant collections in the national archives.

Kitchen

Costa Rican cuisine consists primarily of rice, fruits, fish, beans, meat and vegetables. Local chefs, as a rule, do not often use spices in their dishes, but ketchup or chili sauces are usually served with any dish.

Costa Rican coffee is considered one of the best in the world, which is why it is consumed here in huge quantities. It is served on the table in small jugs and poured into tiny cups. Also popular throughout Costa Rica is herbal tea, which is brewed according to old recipes.

The most popular dish in the country is casados ​​(pinto) - a mixture of black beans and rice with vegetables, which is served with meat dishes.

Terrain.

There are three natural areas within the country. The alluvial lowland is adjacent to the coast of the Caribbean Sea, bordered by lagoons, and is replaced by mountain ranges stretching from northwest to southeast; in the northern part these mountains are called Cordillera de Guanacaste, and in the southern part - Cordillera de Talamanca. In the central part of the country, east of San Jose and parallel to the main mountain ranges, stretches the Central Cordillera. The country's western coast is heavily indented; the protrusions of the Nicoya (in the north) and Osa (in the south) peninsulas protect it from strong storms coming from the Pacific Ocean.

The height of the mountains increases to the south, reaching heights of more than 3,700 m near the border with Panama. In the Cordillera Central, approximately 30 km northeast of San Jose, four volcanic peaks rise, including Irazu (3,432 m) and Turrialba (3,328 m ). In 1968, after a 500-year period of peace, the Arenal volcano erupted, causing great destruction and casualties. Between the chain of volcanoes and the Cordillera de Guanacaste and Cordillera de Talamanca ranges there are numerous intermountain depressions, the bottoms of which are located at an altitude of 900–1200 m above sea level. The largest of them (an area of ​​more than 5,000 sq. km), the Central Plateau, is home to most of the country’s population. In addition to San Jose, there are the cities of Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago (until 1823 - the capital of the country). The southern part of the Central Valley is drained by the Reventazon River, which flows further east through narrow gorges and flows into the Caribbean Sea; in the northwestern part of the depression flows the Rio Grande de Tarcoles River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. Along the Pacific coast there are alternating areas of hilly and flat terrain; The most significant plain in area is located at the top of the bay. Nicoya, separating the highlands of the Nicoya Peninsula from the mountains of the main part of the country. South of the Gulf of Nikoya, the mountains approach the coast itself almost along its entire length to the mouth of the Dikis River, immediately north of the Osa Peninsula. The southern part of the Pacific coast was once covered with forests, but they were cleared when land was cleared for banana plantations and, later, oil palm plantations. The Pan-American Highway also runs here.

Climate and flora.

The trade winds blowing mainly from the east bring heavy rain to the plains of the Caribbean coast and the adjacent hills. In the port of Limón, the annual precipitation rate is 3100 mm, with at least 150 mm falling here in any month. The average temperature is approx. 27° C, seasonal variations are insignificant. In this area, dense tropical forest is interspersed with plantations, and coastal lagoons are covered with mangroves.

In the altitude range of 610–1500 m above sea level. average temperatures are about 5°C lower than near the coast. It rains heavily here. The slopes are covered with broad-leaved forests, which thin out with height and go above 2400 m above sea level. into the grasslands. In San Jose (1160 m above sea level) the average annual temperature is 20 ° C, seasonal variations are less than 1 ° C. Approximately 90% of the annual precipitation (1930 mm) falls here from May to October. On the Pacific coast, the amount of annual precipitation varies from 1000 to 2000 mm, depending on the exposure of the area to humid oceanic winds blowing from May to November. In the remaining months there is little rain. The flat part of this zone was once covered by dense semi-deciduous tropical forests, most of which are now replaced by plantations, pastures and secondary uncultivated savannas.

POPULATION

Ethnic composition and demography.

The population of Costa Rica according to the 1984 census was 2,417 thousand people; the number in 1997 is estimated at 3,570 thousand people. As of July 2004, the number was 3957 thousand people, according to estimates for 2009 - 4253 thousand people. The natural increase is not too high and in 2004 was estimated at 1.52%; at the same time, the birth rate was 18.99 per 1000 inhabitants, and the mortality rate was 4.32 per 1000 inhabitants. Infant mortality in 2004 was 10.26 per 1000 births, and in 2009 – 8.77. Life expectancy (at birth) has increased sharply, averaging 76.63 years in 2004 (74.07 for men and 79.33 for women). About 94% of the population are descendants of Europeans and mestizos (descendants of marriages of Europeans with Indians), approx. 3% are blacks, 1% are Indians, 1% are descendants of immigrants from China and 1% are others.

About two thirds of the population live within the mountainous region, approx. 19% on the Pacific coast and 5% on the Caribbean coast. According to 1995 data, about half the population lived in cities. The mountainous part of the country is inhabited mainly by the descendants of Spanish settlers; Until recently, their main occupation was growing coffee. Most of them are concentrated in the San Jose area (in the city itself in 1995 there were 319.8 thousand inhabitants, and together with the suburbs - 951 thousand people), as well as in the cities of Alajuela (57.7 thousand), Heredia (73. 3 thousand) and Cartago (67.1 thousand). The main port on the Pacific Ocean is Puntarenas (62.6 thousand people). The Pacific coast is populated mainly by mestizos, and the small population of the Caribbean coast consists mainly of blacks living in the city of Limon (the main port of the country's east coast with a population of 75.4 thousand people).

The official language is Spanish. Many city dwellers, as well as Afro-Costa Ricans on the Caribbean coast, speak English.

Religion.

The predominant religion is Catholicism, ca. 10% of the population adheres to the Protestant religion. There is also a small Jewish community. According to the 1949 constitution, Catholicism was declared the official religion, the church is not separated from the state and is partially financed from the state budget. In public schools in Costa Rica, the only Central American republic, the teaching of religious subjects was introduced. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but clergy cannot be elected to the legislative assembly. There is a Protestant theological seminary in San Jose, where students from various countries in Central and South America study.

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Development of constitutional legislation.

Costa Rica's first constitution was adopted in 1825, when the country was part of the Central American Federation. After the collapse of the Federation in 1838, Costa Rica became an independent republic; in 1844 a new constitution was adopted, which was in force until 1871. The next constitution, adopted in 1871, remained in force until 1943 (with the exception of 1917–1919); in 1943, some amendments were made to it, providing for social guarantees for citizens. In 1948, after parliament declared the election of Otilio Ulate Blanco to the presidency invalid, civil war broke out in the country. The government was overthrown, and in 1949 the political forces that came to power achieved the adoption of a new constitution, which preserved the previously adopted progressive laws, but also included a number of new provisions, in particular, it provided freedom of activity to foreign capital and abolished the armed forces. The new period of constitutional government was called the “second republic.”

Participation in elections is mandatory; evasion of voting is punishable by a fine. Women have enjoyed voting rights since 1949.

Central government.

Executive power in the country is exercised by the president with the help of the cabinet of ministers. The President is elected by direct vote for a term of 4 years without the right to re-election for a second term immediately after the end of the first. Legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament - the Legislative Assembly, whose 57 members are elected by direct and secret ballot for 4 years. The judicial branch is represented by the Supreme Court and several lower courts. Supreme Court judges are elected by the Legislative Assembly.

Local government bodies.

Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces (Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas and San Jose), which are divided into cantons and districts. The government of the country is centralized. Provincial governors are appointed by the president. The activities of governors and local authorities are controlled by the central government.

Civil rights.

According to the 1949 constitution, all citizens are equal before the law. No one can be arrested for their political views. Personal integrity and procedural rights of citizens (“habeas corpus”) are guaranteed by law; Both nationals and foreigners have the right to resort to arbitration to resolve disputes both before and after trial.

Articles 51–65 of the constitution establish the wage scale and maximum working hours. For equal work, performers should be paid on the same scale, regardless of their gender or nationality. Created from representatives of trade unions, entrepreneurs and the government, the commission sets the minimum wage every two years in all industries. The social insurance fund, which provides payments for illness, disability, old age, death of a breadwinner or the birth of a child, consists of contributions from the employee, the employer and the state.

Political parties.

Initially, political parties were formed as groups of adherents of a political leader aspiring to power. After 1953, the leading place was taken by the National Liberation Party (PLN), founded in 1945 by José Figueres Ferrer. This party, part of the Socialist International, acted as a reform party in the early stages, but over the years it became more and more conservative. With the exception of 1958–1962 and 1966–1970, it remained in power until 1978, when it was defeated by a coalition of conservative parties that supported the candidacy of Rodrigo Carazo Odio. In 1982, the PNO returned to power with the election of Luis Alberto Monje as president, who was replaced in 1986 by another candidate from the same party, Oscar Arias Sánchez. In 1990, however, voters favored the conservative opposition candidate, and Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier, son of the popular president of the early 1940s, became president. In 1994, PNO candidate José Maria Figueres Olsen, son of PNO founder and former president Figueres Ferrer, was re-elected president. Currently, the PNO and the conservative opposition (united in 1984 into the Social-Christian Unity Party - PSHE) represent the main political groupings in the country. As a result of the 1994 elections, representatives of local parties from Cartago and Limon received seats in the Legislative Assembly. Small leftist groups, including the once powerful Costa Rican Popular Vanguard (formerly Communist) party, have largely lost voter support; in the 1994 elections, only one deputy was elected from them.

Armed forces.

According to the 1949 constitution, Costa Rica does not have a regular army. Ensuring internal security is entrusted to the Civil Guard (with urban and rural branches, each numbering about 5 thousand), and a number of smaller formations, including the judicial police. In 1996, paramilitary forces were created in the country under the Ministry of Homeland Security with a total number of 6.5 thousand people, whose tasks include ensuring law and order in the country, combating the spread of drugs and protecting borders.

Foreign policy.

The basis of Costa Rica's foreign policy is "permanent active and unarmed neutrality" and the peaceful resolution of international conflicts. However, Costa Rica has repeatedly clashed with its northern neighbor, Nicaragua. In 1954, both countries were on the brink of war, and in 1979 Costa Rica assisted Sandinista forces in overthrowing Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. In the mid-1980s, with the permission of the Costa Rican government, secret agents and armed groups (contras) were based on its territory, operating against the Sandinista government. President Oscar Arias Sánchez stopped these operations in 1986–1987, causing tensions with Washington. Arias was the author of the plan for a peaceful resolution of the Central American conflict, which formed the basis of the Guatemala Agreement, signed in 1987; This plan, which won Arias the Nobel Peace Prize, created a sound basis for ending internal conflicts, achieving national reconciliation and democratization of society, and increasing economic integration within the region.

Costa Rica is a member of the UN, the Organization of American States, the Central American Common Market and the Central American Parliament.

ECONOMY

Although the country's name translates to "rich coast", due to the lack of deposits of precious metals and a lack of labor, Costa Rica remained one of the poorest Spanish colonies. In the second half of the 19th century. Costa Rica developed at a moderate pace, exporting coffee, bananas and cocoa. On the Central Plateau, coffee soon became the main crop. The cultivation of bananas for export on the Caribbean coast was started by the American railroad baron Minor Keith, who later founded the United Fruit Company.

In 1995, Costa Rica's gross domestic product (GDP) reached $7 billion, i.e. $2,052 per capita. In 1994, 17% of gross domestic product came from agriculture and 19% from industry. The period from 1950 to the end of the 1970s was marked by significant economic growth, mainly due to intensive industrial development and high coffee prices on world markets. However, at the very end of the 1970s, coffee prices fell and interest on foreign debts increased, causing trade deficits, rising inflation, falling government revenues and a severe economic crisis of 1980–1982. By the early 1980s, Costa Rica was unable to pay interest on its foreign debt, which reached $2.6 billion. However, the government managed to reach an agreement to defer payments. By 1997, external debt had risen to $4 billion. The development and implementation of economic stabilization and resolution plans led to a return to moderate economic growth in the mid-1980s; at the same time, however, the government had to make significant cuts in spending, including on social programs. As of July 2003, GDP was estimated at $32 billion, i.e. GDP growth was 2.8%. Per capita GDP was estimated at US$8,300.

Most economic activity is concentrated on the Central Plateau, where the capital of the country is located. Factories and coffee farms are located side by side in the San Jose area, although coffee culture lost some of its importance in the early 1990s. Bananas are grown primarily in the Atlantic lowlands, while sparsely populated outlying areas produce grain, sugar cane, and livestock products. A rapidly growing sector of non-traditional agricultural exports includes flowers, edible tubers, fruits and vegetables, and ornamental plants.

The economy is dominated by the private sector. However, the state controls most of the tobacco and alcohol production, banking, insurance, energy and telecommunications. The government allocates significant funds to education. International tourism is also supported.

By 2002, the country's main sources of income were tourism, banana and coffee production. Export earnings in 2002 amounted to $5.1 billion. The following goods were exported: bananas, coffee, sugar, pineapples, fabrics, medical equipment. According to 2002 data, 61% of the economically active population was employed in the industry and trade sector, 30% in the tourism industry and service sector, and 9% in agriculture.

Agriculture.

Once upon a time, the main source of income for Costa Ricans was agriculture, but in the 1990s its role declined, and the share of agricultural products was now approx. 17% of GDP. Most of those employed in agriculture are small farmers. In the most dynamic areas of agriculture, large producers play a major role. Most coffee farms are small or medium-sized. The industry is dominated by a few companies that control most of the manufacturing enterprises. Small coffee producers were hit hard by the fall in prices that followed the sudden end of the international coffee-producing countries agreement in 1989. Many farmers have turned to non-traditional export crops, while others have started growing coffee without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and selling it in the organic market. The share of coffee in export earnings fell from 38% in 1967 to 11% in 1993. The situation of grain producers, mostly small farmers in coastal areas, has deteriorated markedly since the mid-1980s, when the government forced market price cuts and reduced credit , while simultaneously taking measures to facilitate grain imports.

The second most important export crop is bananas, which are grown mostly on large plantations. The first plantations were established by the United Fruit Company on the Caribbean coast. Between 1935 and 1940, many plantations in the area were abandoned after the spread of fungal diseases that affected the plant's root system; at the same time, new plantations were established in the southern part of the Pacific coast. The development of new varieties of bananas that were resistant to disease made it possible to resume their cultivation in the Caribbean region in the 1960s. In the early 1980s, the United Fruit Company closed its plantations on the Pacific coast, but at the same time, many new banana farms, mostly owned by small foreign companies, were created in the northern part of the Atlantic lowlands. In 1993, bananas accounted for 28% of export earnings, and in 1995 they accounted for almost half of agricultural export earnings.

Other agricultural products that are exported include meat, sugar and cocoa, while grains, coconuts, vegetables, tobacco and cotton are grown mainly for domestic consumption. Since the 1950s, the government has pursued a program to modernize pastoralism, particularly in the northern Pacific coast. In 1993, the export of meat products accounted for 3% of export earnings.

Industry.

Mining of sulfur, limestone and gold is limited to the Pacific Coast and the Cordillera de Talamanca mountains. The discovery of gold deposits in the 1980s on the Osa Peninsula, remote from the center of the country, caused widespread illegal mining. In 1982, a new law was adopted, according to which the subsoil was declared the property of the state; Since then, multinational corporations have conducted mining exploration and registered dozens of mineral claims discovered primarily on Indian lands in the Talamanca Mountains. Forests cover approx. 25% of the country's territory; almost all of them are protected by the state within national parks, reserves or protected Indian reservations. Mahogany and other valuable timber are being exploited commercially, often without official permission from the authorities.

Until recently, the country's manufacturing industry was represented by the production of consumer goods, such as drinks, cotton fabrics and shoes; there was no market for large-scale production in the country. Costa Rica's accession to the Central American Common Market (CACM) in 1962 significantly expanded its sales markets, which helped attract investment, including from abroad (primarily from the United States). New industries began to develop in the country - the production of plastics, pharmaceuticals, tires, fertilizers and cement, aimed at the general market. In the 1980s, a large number of ready-to-wear factories were opened in Costa Rica, owned by US and Asian companies. By the mid-1990s, these factories employed 50 thousand people, mostly young women. During the 1990s, unemployment remained at 5%. The number of part-time workers is estimated at 20%.

For most of the Central American countries, Costa Rica has become the main supplier of goods and services. CAOC countries are important trading partners for Costa Rica; the volume of exports to this region in 1997 amounted to almost $0.5 billion, second only to exports to the USA and European countries.

Energy.

Since 1980, Costa Rica has made significant progress in the use of renewable energy sources, including hydropower and thermal energy from the earth's interior. There are several large hydropower projects in the pipeline, among which the construction of hydroelectric power stations and irrigation systems in Arenal stands out. The total capacity of power plants in the country increased from 42 thousand kW in 1950 to 1105 thousand kW in 1994, with 72% of electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants, 23% by thermal power plants running on diesel fuel and gas, and 5% by geothermal plants. By 1996, the total capacity reached 1113.9 thousand kW, and electricity production amounted to 5.2 billion kWh.

Transport.

In 1950, the modern highway network covered only the Central Valley, and rail connections existed between San Jose and the ports of Limon and Puntarenas. Since then, the Pan-American Highway has been built, running across the entire country from the Nicaraguan to the Panamanian border, and many other highways, both main and secondary, providing access to almost all areas of the country. In 1993, the total length of Costa Rica's railways was 950 km, and paved roads - more than 35.5 thousand km. The country's main international airport is located west of Alajuela; another was opened in 1995 in Liberia. The main ports are Limon on the Caribbean Sea and Puntarenas and Golfito on the Pacific Ocean.

International trade.

The largest source of foreign exchange earnings is international tourism, followed by banana exports. Major exports also include coffee, meat, sugar, shrimp, lobster, cocoa beans, fruits and timber. Trade in food products, fertilizers, ready-made clothing and other light industrial goods is expanding both in the CAOR countries and outside the region. The most important import items are production materials and equipment, fuel, transport equipment and consumer goods.

Since the second half of the 1970s, Costa Rica has suffered from persistent foreign trade deficits; it initially arose due to the rise in oil prices after 1974 and the fall in coffee prices after 1977, as well as the continued demand for imported consumer goods. In 1993, export revenues amounted to $1.9 billion, while import costs reached $2.9 billion. By the end of the 1990s, exports grew to $2.4 billion and imports to $3 billion. $ In 1995, economic ties intensified and the volume of trade between Costa Rica and Mexico increased. The main foreign trade partner remains the United States, where more than 50% of Costa Rican exports are sent. Trade with Germany, Japan, Venezuela and the CAOR countries is also of great importance.

Currency and banks.

The main monetary unit is the colon. Money is issued by the central bank, which controls monetary policy. Banks were nationalized in 1948, but since the mid-1980s private financial institutions have assumed an increasingly important role.

In the 1970s, following the rise in oil prices, inflation began to rise, which intensified in the early 1980s and reached a maximum of 95% in 1982. Measures to stabilize and regulate the economy led to a decrease in inflation rates to 23% in 1995 and up to 14% in 1996, but in 1997 a new increase to 22.5% was noted.

Budget.

In 1994, revenues to the state budget amounted to 26% of GDP. In 1985, Costa Rica signed the first of three loan agreements with the World Bank to restructure its external debt. The terms of the contract provided, in particular, for a significant reduction in spending on social programs.

The measures taken contributed to reducing the amount of external debt accumulated since the 1970s. In 1990, Costa Rica, with the help of external subsidies, was able to pay off almost $1 billion (i.e. 63%) of its debt to commercial banks, which amounted to $1.9 billion. Costa Rica was one of the first countries to take advantage of the offer of international organizations for environmental protection to buy back part of its external debts from creditors in exchange for an obligation to take measures to preserve nature (organization of nature reserves, etc.). Among the first to take part in the redemption of Costa Rica's debts were the US Natural Resources Conservation Corporation, the International Wildlife Fund, as well as the governments of the Netherlands and Sweden; The amounts they have allocated for this range from 16 to 33 million dollars. Costa Rica has also entered into a “bioprospecting” agreement with multinational pharmaceutical firms, according to which, with the funds of these firms, research will be carried out on the Costa Rican flora in order to find species that have potential medicinal value.

Because Costa Rica does not have an army, it can increase spending on social programs. In 1994, 30% of the budget was spent on social security, 23% on education, 21% on health care, 12% on housing and less than 2% on public security.

SOCIETY

Structure of society.

Costa Rica is a unique example of a stable democracy in Central America. With the exception of the period of the civil war of 1948, governments succeeded each other in accordance with the order established by the constitution. Land ownership is highly concentrated; in 1984, 27% of all agricultural land was concentrated in the hands of 1% of landowners. Many farms are so small that they are not profitable, and their owners have to work additionally for hire. An increasing number of peasants are moving to cities.

Healthcare.

As of 1995, the Ministry of Health operated 1,428 primary health care clinics, and remote areas were served by mobile medical and dental units. The social security system has 112 clinics and 29 hospitals, including specialized institutions (psychiatric, pediatric, obstetric and geriatric). In 1992, there were 2.5 hospital beds and 12.6 doctors per 1,000 people in the country. In 1997, life expectancy was 72 years.

Labor legislation and social security.

The Ministry of Labor monitors compliance with the provisions of labor legislation adopted in 1943, which allows many labor disputes to be resolved through consultation.

In 1945, a national trade union center was created - the Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD), which is part of the Inter-American Regional Workers' Organization (RITU) and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICTU). Another large trade union association is the Unitary Confederation of Workers, part of the World Federation of Trade Unions.

Since the mid-1980s, trade unions have largely given way to the so-called. “solidarity associations”, in which employers, along with employees, also participate. The associations are based on savings programs: social insurance (covering sickness, temporary disability, maternity, old-age pensions and death benefits) is provided by contributions from employers and employees and funds allocated by the state.

CULTURE

The culture of Costa Rica is fundamentally Spanish, although it has strong Native American, Afro-Caribbean, North American and some other influences. There are active societies in the country artists, writers, performers and musicians, some of them internationally renowned. The Ministry of Culture runs several museums and finances drama groups, film studios, publishing and the National Orchestra. Caribbean (salsa) and Mexican (ranchera) tunes remain popular in the country. Artistic crafts are less developed here than in other Central American countries.

Literature.

One of the most famous writers of Costa Rica, the author of the first national novels, Joaquín García Monje (1881–1958), for many years led the publication of the periodical magazine Repertorio Americano (1919–1958), which was famous throughout Latin America. A noticeable mark in the literature of the 20th century. The poet Roberto Brenes Mesen (1874–1947), the prose writers Carmen Lira (1888–1949) and Carlos Luis Fallas (1909–1966) also left. Prose writers Fabian Dobles (b. 1918), Yolanda Oreamuno (1916–1956), Joaquín Gutiérrez (b. 1918), Quince Duncan, Alberto Cañas, Carmen Naranjo and poet Alfonso Chase (b. 1945) stand out among contemporary authors.

Architecture and fine arts.

In San José, Cartago and Orosi, some buildings built in the Spanish colonial style remain. Among contemporary artists, the most famous are the painter, sculptor and writer Max Jimenez (1908–1947), the sculptor Francisco Zúñiga (b. 1913), the engraver Francisco Amighetti (b. 1908) and the painter Rafael Fernandez.

Music.

Costa Rican music is predominantly Spanish in origin, but has Afro-Caribbean and Native American influences. The most common instruments are guitar, accordion, mandolin and marimba (wooden xylophone). The works of modern composers use calypso, folk and jazz melodies.

Theaters and libraries.

One of the most beautiful theater buildings in Latin America is the National Theater in San José, with staircases and balconies made of Carrara marble, where opera performances and symphony concerts are held. In addition to it, there are many small theaters in the capital. The National Library in San Jose, founded in 1888, stores more than 175 thousand volumes, and the library of the University of Costa Rica, founded in 1946, holds approx. 100 thousand volumes. Significant collections are also available in the National Archives.

Education.

According to 1984 data, the literacy rate among the adult population of Costa Rica is 84%; this is one of the highest rates in Latin America. The share of education spending in the government budget is higher than in any other Latin American country. Costa Rica has introduced compulsory primary education; Both primary and secondary education are provided free of charge. In 1990, there were 3,248 primary schools in the country, attended by 437 thousand students, and 223 secondary schools, attended by 154 thousand children. Most secondary schools provide general education, but there are also a number of schools with technical and pedagogical specialization.

The leading institution of higher education is the University of Costa Rica, founded in 1843 and reorganized in 1940; The university campus, built in a modern style, is located east of the capital. Among other public higher education institutions, the Institute of Technology in Cartago, founded in 1971, the National University of Heredia (1973) and the Open University of San José, which has a correspondence department, deserve mention. In 1995, 80 thousand students were studying in higher education institutions in Costa Rica, with a quarter of this number coming from 25 private universities.

Mass media.

The largest of the three daily newspapers, La Nacion, is published with a circulation of approx. 80 thousand copies. In 1996, there were 18 government and commercial television stations operating in the country.

STORY

Colonial period.

On September 18, 1502, Christopher Columbus reached a small island off the coast of the Caribbean Sea, where he was met by natives wearing gold jewelry. Spanish chroniclers seized on Columbus's description and named the land "Costa Rica," Spanish for "rich coast." Ironically, it turned out that one of the poorest Spanish colonies received this name. The first Spanish settlements were located near the modern cities of Puntarenas and Nicoya. Only approx. survived the Spanish conquest. 25 thousand Indians, and the Central Valley region was settled only in the mid-16th century. In 1563, Governor Juan Vázquez de Coronado brought settlers from Spain and founded the city of Cartago, which served as the capital of the colony until 1823.

Costa Rica's colonial economy developed slowly, with the exception of a brief cocoa boom in the 17th century. In 1638–1639, Captain General Sandoval built a new port on the Caribbean coast near Matina and a road connecting it to the interior of the country. This increased the value of cocoa plantations located near the road, and merchant ships began to appear more often off the coast of Costa Rica. However, the coastal areas that began to grow rich were soon plundered by pirates, and the Indians completed the destruction. An extremely low level of economic development was characteristic of Costa Rica in the 18th century, and only shortly before independence there was some economic growth associated with the production of tobacco and silver mining.

Independence.

Costa Rica, which was part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala along with Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, became independent from Spain on September 15, 1821. Until 1838, Costa Rica was part of the federation United Provinces of Central America. Shortly after independence, President Juan Mora Fernandez began implementing educational reforms. The first schools were organized in the cities, and in 1825 the first education law was issued, according to which the right to a free "general" education was guaranteed to persons of both sexes - a principle that was included in the constitution of 1844.

In 1842, the government of Braulio Carrillo was overthrown by General Francisco Morazan, who tried to restore the Federation of Central America. However, that same year, Morazan was also overthrown and executed. Costa Rica has entered a period of political instability. In 1849, Juan Rafael Mora Porras took over as president. He restored order, continued reforms and in 1856 helped defeat the American adventurer William Walker, who proclaimed himself president of Nicaragua and invaded Costa Rica.

Between 1859 and 1870, several presidents changed until the strong government of Tomas Guardia Gutierrez came to power. In 1871 he introduced a new constitution, and in 1882 he abolished the death penalty. Guardia died in 1882; his successors were the liberals General Prospero Fernandez Oreamuno (1882–1885), Bernardo Soto Alfaro (1885–1889) and José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón (1890–1894).

Era of progress.

First half of the 19th century was marked by significant economic development in Costa Rica. Coffee, introduced into the country in the 1820s, became a major export crop. Large exporting companies emerged, often with foreign capital. In the second half of the 19th century. the government used income from coffee exports to build ports and roads, including railways. At the end of the 19th century. investors from the United States, who later formed the largest company, the United Fruit Company, began growing bananas along the Caribbean coast.

In 1907, Costa Rica sent delegates to Washington to a conference convened at the initiative of Mexico and the United States, where it was decided to create a Central American Court in Costa Rica. This international court operated until 1918 and ceased its activities after Nicaragua and the United States refused to recognize its decision on the illegality of the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty (1916), which granted the United States the right to build an interoceanic canal through the territory of Nicaragua.

In 1910, Ricardo Jimenez Oreamuno assumed the presidency of Costa Rica. An increased inheritance tax was introduced, and the proceeds were to be used for public education. Another law limited the size of the army to 1 thousand people, with the exception of emergency situations, when it could be increased to 5 thousand people. In 1914, President Alfredo González Flores began a tax reform that included increased taxes on banana and oil companies. With this step he made powerful enemies and in 1917 he was removed from the presidency by Minister of War Federico Tinoco Granados. The Tinoco regime enjoyed the support of the Costa Rican elite, but the United States refused to recognize it. Encouraged by this, the opposition overthrew Tinoco in 1919.

The 1930s were marked by the rise of the communist movement, expressed, in particular, in the organization of strikes on banana plantations. In 1936, conservative Leon Cortez Castro, who sympathized with the Axis powers, was elected president of the country. In 1940 he was replaced by Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia. He introduced labor legislation and greatly increased Social Security benefits, costing him the support of wealthy Conservatives. Then the National Republican Party, headed by him, turned to the communists and the Catholic Church for support. During World War II, Calderon worked closely with the United States. Costa Rica entered the war on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition in December 1941. In 1944, Teodoro Picado Michalski was elected president, during whose reign Costa Rica joined the UN and joined the International Monetary Fund.

Civil War.

By the mid-1940s, a strong opposition had formed in the country, opposing the coalition of National Republicans, Communists and Catholics. The opposition included the right-wing Democratic Party, led by León Cortés, the conservative National Union party, led by Otilio Ulate Blanco, and the reformist Social Democratic Party, led by José Figueres Ferrer. In the presidential elections in 1948, these opposition parties nominated Ulate as their candidate, against Calderon, nominated by the National Republicans. Calderon was supported by the trade unions, the army and the Picado government, but Ulate still won the election by a slim margin. Picado refused to accept the election results and insisted that the final decision on the matter should be taken by the Legislative Assembly, where Calderon's supporters predominated. On March 1, the assembly declared the election results invalid. On March 12, Figueres launched an armed uprising. Hostilities continued until the end of April, when the Mexican ambassador, acting as a mediator, managed to reach an agreement between the parties, and Figueres' troops entered San Jose. On May 8, Figueres headed the provisional government. Calderon and many prominent communists were forced to emigrate.

Over the next 18 months, Figueres disbanded the army, nationalized banks, expanded social welfare programs, granted voting rights to women and Costa Rican-born black residents of Limón, and imposed a 10 percent tax on private wealth, channeling the proceeds into the country's social and economic development. . In December 1948, Calderon's supporters launched a failed coup attempt. After the Legislative Assembly ratified the new constitution and confirmed Ulate as president, Figueres resigned as head of the provisional government on November 8, 1949.

Second half of the 20th century. and the beginning of the 21st century.

Ulate retained most of the laws passed under Figueres and made minor amendments to some of them. High coffee prices on world markets gave him the opportunity to finance public works and carry out some ambitious projects, such as the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Reventazon River. Having broken with Ulate, Figueres founded a new party, called the National Liberation Party (PNL), which nominated him for the presidency in the 1953 elections. In these elections he had no serious rivals, since the National Union party had only one leader - Ulate, and he, according to the constitution, could not be elected for a second term. Appealing to the peasants and middle class for support, Figueres won the election with two-thirds of the vote. During his four years as president, he continued his efforts to transform Costa Rica into a model welfare state. His greatest achievement was an agreement with the United Fruit Company, according to which the company transferred a third of the profits received in that country to the government of Costa Rica. Under Figueres, granaries, flour mills, fertilizer plants, fish freezers and meat processing plants were built in the country.

In 1955, supporters of former President Calderon organized a military invasion of the country from Nicaragua. In addition to Nicaragua, Calderon was supported by Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Figueres turned to the Organization of American States for help, which in turn turned to the United States. At this point the invasion ended and the troops were disbanded. The OAS also suggested that Figueres dissolve the so-called The Caribbean Legion is a volunteer force created to fight dictatorial regimes in Latin America and based in Costa Rica.

The National Union Party returned to power in 1958, when Mario Echandi Jimenez, a follower of Ulate, was elected president. In 1962 he was replaced by Francisco José Orlic Bolmarsic of the PNO. In 1966, José Joaquin Trejos Fernandez, head of the opposition coalition, was elected president. In 1970, Figueres again took over the presidency, and in 1974 he was succeeded by another PNO candidate, Daniel Oduber Quirós; thus, for the first time, the PNO remained in power for two consecutive terms. In 1978, the candidate of the conservative Unity coalition, Rodrigo Carazo Odio, won the elections. His tenure in power was marked by growing political instability throughout Central America and a deep economic crisis. When an uprising broke out in Nicaragua in 1979, Carazo supported the Sandinistas in their fight against dictator Somoza. In 1980, defeated Nicaraguan soldiers attacked one of the leftist radio stations in Costa Rica, and in 1981, armed leftist formations first appeared on Costa Rican territory. Economic difficulties that began with rising oil prices in 1973–1974 deepened as a result of falling coffee income and rising foreign debt. Twice the Carazo government failed to meet the terms of its agreement with the International Monetary Fund, and international bankers refused to provide additional loans to Costa Rica.

In 1982, PNO member Luis Alberto Monge Alvarez took over the presidency. To ensure continued IMF support, Monje cut spending on social security and other programs and turned to the United States for help. The US government tried to suppress the guerrilla movement in El Salvador and overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua. Having received assistance from the United States, President Monje promised to provide assistance to the United States in the fight against guerrillas in Central America.

These trends, however, changed with the coming to power of a new president, also from the PNO, Oscar Arias Sánchez. Arias closed the Contra camps located near the Nicaraguan border, as well as the airfield under American command. In 1987, Arias developed a plan for a peaceful resolution of the Central American conflict, which created the basis for ending civil wars and democratizing the region. However, although Arias's plan won international acclaim and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, the United States cut off economic aid to Costa Rica. Arias' presidency was marred by several scandalous drug and arms trafficking cases involving prominent PNA politicians.

In the 1990 presidential election, voters chose the conservative opposition candidate Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier, whose father had served as president in the early 1940s. Calderon encouraged the development of free markets and reduced the share of the public sector in the economy. In 1994, Costa Rica entered into a free trade agreement with Mexico, giving exporters hope that the country could eventually become a party to NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. In 1994, PNO candidate José Maria Figueres Olsen, son of PNO founder José Figueres Ferrer, was elected president. In 1996, during a period of high inflation and low economic growth, President Figueres was forced to cut social programs and took steps to partially privatize public sector enterprises.

In 1998, the leader of the Social-Christian Unity party, Miguel Angel Rodriguez Echeverría, won the presidential elections, receiving 47% of the vote. The president enjoys the support of the legislative assembly, where the PSHE has 29 out of 57 seats.

Costa Rica, having avoided the problems typical of Central American states suffering from dictatorial regimes and armed conflicts, in the 1980s and 1990s entered the open market, carried out structural reforms, privatized a number of important sectors of the economy, turning into a manufacturer and exporter of high-tech products. However, the standard of living of the population and its social protection did not keep pace with the pace of globalization of the country.

All this could not but affect the mood of voters. The 2002 elections were different from all previous ones, when PSHE and PNO competed only with each other. At the same time, one of the presidential candidates always overcame the barrier of forty percent (plus one vote) required to win.

In the first round of the 2002 elections, 30% of voters did not come to the polling stations. In addition, a significant number of voters supported Otto Solis, the leader of the Civic Action (CA) party he created in 2001.

On April 7, 2002, the country held the second round of presidential elections. Of the 13 registered candidates, Abel Pacheco and Rolando Araya from the parties Social-Christian Unity (PSCE) and National Liberation (PLN) remained.

In February 2006, former Costa Rican President Oscar Arais again won the first round of presidential elections.

45% of the country's citizens voted for him. His main competitor, Otto Solis, was supported by 26% of Costa Ricans. For the third time, the PAC party chose its leader Otto Solís Fallas as its presidential candidate.

The presidential elections were held on February 7, 2010. Laura Chinchiglia, the first female president, a candidate from the ruling leftist National Liberation party, and former vice president in the government of O. Arias, became president. She received 49% of the votes.

Literature:

Gamboa F. Costa Rica. M., 1966
Romanova Z. Costa Rica. M., 1968