Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | Costa RicaReviewed | SpainReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal familyIdentical | Civil law | Civil law |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Political Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica | Spanish Constitution |
| In force since | 1949 | 1978 |
| Capital | San José | Madrid |
| Official languagesIdentical | Spanish | Spanish |
| Currency | Costa Rican colón (CRC) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 5,100,000 | 48,400,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary, with seven provinces that have no legislative power. Municipalities have constitutionally guaranteed autonomy over local services and land use. | A constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state, an executive led by the President of the Government, a bicameral parliament and an independent judiciary, overlaid by extensive regional self-government. |
| How law is made | A bill passes two debates in the Legislative Assembly. The President may veto within ten working days; the Assembly overrides with two-thirds. Any deputy may refer a bill to the Sala Constitucional for pre-enactment review, and the chamber's finding of a procedural defect is binding. | Bills pass both chambers of the Cortes Generales, with the Congress of Deputies able to override the Senate, and receive royal assent. |
| Legal profession | Practice requires enrolment with the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica, which holds disciplinary power. Notaries are lawyers holding a separate notarial licence supervised by the Dirección Nacional de Notariado. | Abogados belong to local bar associations (colegios de abogados); procuradores represent parties procedurally and notaries authenticate deeds and company acts. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.