History
Brief history of Costa Rica from pre-columbian to contemporary times.

Politics
How the political structure is composed and how does it work

Presidents
Complete list of presidents and chiefs of state of Costa Rica

Demographics
Description of the origins of the different ethenic groups present in Costa Rica

Foreign Relations
Because of its reputation as a democratic, humanitarian, and peaceful society, Costa Rica has a respected voice in world affairs.

The Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics (Latin America Readers) Amazon Price: .47 Used Price: .90 Rarely does an anthology of original documents of historical value mingled with insightful interpretative essays come together as a coherent work. Steven Palmer and Iván Molina, against those odds, have put the ball in the back of the net with just such a book. THE COSTA RICA READER'S three-part subtitle (`History, Culture, Politics') is honored along the way with an even touch. Everyone with an interest in Costa Rica as more than a tourist destination with great beaches will find between the covers of this recent collection the stuff that builds insight and understanding. This reviewer lived for sixteen years in 'tiquicia', together with its four million 'ticos', 'nicas', and assorted hangers-on. ...