At stake in this election:

• 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

Description of government structure:

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

Description of electoral system:

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

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: National Liberation Party (PLN) / Partido Liberación Nacional
  • ​Leader: Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernández
  • Seats won in this election: 25
  • Seats won in last election: 17
• Party: Citizen Action Party (PAC) / Partido Acción Ciudadana
  • ​Leader: Epsy CAMPBELL Barr
  • Seats won in this election: 17
  • Seats won in last election: 14
• Party: Libertarían Movement Party (PML) / Partido Movimiento Libertario
  • ​Leader: Guillermo MALAVASSI Vargas
  • Seats won in this election: 6
  • Seats won in last election: 6
• Party: Social Christian Unity Party / Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC)
  • Leader: Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla
  • Seats won in this election: 5
  • Seats won in last election: 19

Population and number of registered voters:

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

Gender Data:

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

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

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

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 22 (following 2006 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 69 (2014)

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

Disability Data:

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

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

·         Population with a disability: 646,318 (est.)