San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital of Costa Rica, and is a province located in the central part of the country, and borders (clockwise) the provinces of Alajuela & Heredia at N, Cartago & Limón at E, and Puntarenas at SE, S and W. The provincial capital, San José de Costa Rica city, is surrounded by mountains, volcanoes and fertile lands. The province covers an area of 4,965.9 km², and has a population of 1,633,282. The province is subdivided into 20 cantons and 120 districts.
San José city was the first in Latin America to be iluminated by electric energy, and is the main urban centre of Costa Rica and the Central Plateau.
Province of San José
Location: At the center of Costa Rica.
Coordinates: 09º38'15" N 84º00'39" W
Subdivisions: Cantons: 20, Districts: 120
Area: 4,965.90 km² (1,917.34 sq mi)
Population: 1,633,282 (2010)
Capital City: San José.
Elevation: 1,156 m ASL (3,792.6 feet)
Average Temperature: 20.3 °C (68.5 °F)
Annual Rainfall: 1,500 - 2,000 mm (59-79 inches)
Features:
 Teatro Nacional (National Theater), Plaza de La Cultura and Museo del Oro
(all three on the same block).
Plaza de la Democracia, Parque Central, Parque Morazán, Parque Nacional, National Library of Costa Rica.
Costa Rican Art Museum, Jade Museum, National Museum and Children's Museum.
Melico Salazar Theatre, "Fabrica Nacional de Licores", "Correo Nacional", "Colegio Superior de Señoritas" buildings.
Catedral Metropolitana, "La Merced" Church, Coronado Church.
Remarkable cultural celebrations during the end and start of year: "Festejos Populares" & "Festival de La Luz".
Universidad de Costa Rica (Campus Rodrigo Facio), Museum of Insects.
Gimnasio Nacional, "La Sabana" city park, "Simón Bolivar" zoo park.
"Los Santos" Valley, Alajuelita and Pérez Zeledón highlands, Coronado northern lands.
Ecotourism: Savegre Mountain Hotel, Dantica Lodge; (San Gerardo de Dota).
The Province of San José and its Cantons
Notes & References for this table:
[1] IGN 2009.
[2] INEC (Jan 2009).
[3] Range of temperature throughout the province.
[4] Distance (in km) and direction, from the capital of province.
[5] Altitude (in m above sea level) and temperature at the capital city of the province.
[6] Capital of province.
| Nº |
Canton Name |
Area [1] (km2) |
Population (2009) [2] |
Temp. [3] |
Capital |
km from CoP [4] |
Altitude (m ASL), Temp. [5] |
Rainfall
(mm/year) |
Foundation |
| 1 | San José [6] | 44.62 |
354,409 |
18-22ºC | San José |
- |
1,156 | 20ºC |
2,000 |
Dec 7, 1848 |
| 2 | Escazú |
34.49 |
60,673 |
| Escazú |
6.5, WSW | 1,101 |
2,300 |
Dec 7, 1848 |
| 3 | Desamparados |
118.26 |
222,675 |
| Desamparados |
4.4, SSE | 1,161 |
2,000 |
Nov 4, 1862 |
| 4 | Puriscal |
553.66 |
32,937 |
| Santiago |
27.8, WSW |
1,105 |
3,500 |
Aug 7, 1868 |
| 5 | Tarrazú |
237.23 |
16,526 |
14-25ºC | San Marcos |
30.6, SSE |
1,429 |
3,500 |
Aug 7, 1868 |
| 6 | Aserrí |
167.10 |
56,779 |
| Aserrí |
7.9, SSW |
1,308 |
2,500 |
Nov 27, 1882 |
| 7 | Mora |
162.04 |
24,476 |
| Ciudad Colón |
18, WSW |
840 |
2,500 |
May 25, 1883 |
| 8 | Goicoechea |
31.50 |
132,156 |
| Guadalupe |
3, NE |
1,204 | 21ºC |
3,000 |
Aug 6, 1891 |
| 9 | Santa Ana |
61.42 |
40,205 |
| Santa Ana |
11.5, W |
904 | 21ºC |
2,500 |
1907 |
| 10 | Alajuelita |
21.17 |
82,298 |
| Alajuelita |
4, SSW |
1,130 |
2,500 |
Jun 4, 1909 |
| 11 |
Vázquez de Coronado |
222.20 | 32,272 | | San Isidro |
9.1, NE |
1,385 | 18ºC |
3,500 |
Nov 15, 1910 |
| 12 |
Acosta |
342.24 |
21,033 |
| San Ignacio |
17, SSW |
1,095 |
3,000 |
Oct 27, 1910 |
| 13 |
Tibás |
8.15 |
81,891 |
| San Juan |
3, N |
1,162 |
2,000 |
Jul 27, 1914 |
| 14 |
Moravia |
28.62 |
56,122 |
| San Vicente |
5, NE |
1,231 | 21ºC |
2,500 |
Aug 1, 1914 |
| 15 |
Montes de Oca |
15.16 |
56,068 |
| San Pedro |
3, E |
1,205 |
2,500 |
Aug 2, 1915 |
| 16 |
Turrubares |
415.29 |
5,504 |
| San Pablo |
40, W |
375 |
3,500 |
Jul 30, 1920 |
| 17 |
Dota |
400.22 |
7,504 |
| Santa María |
32, SSE |
1,548 |
3,500 |
Jul 23, 1925 |
| 18 |
Curridabat |
15.95 |
69,900 |
20-25ºC | Curridabat |
4.7, ESE |
1,208 |
2,500 |
Aug 21, 1929 |
| 19 |
Pérez Zeledón |
1,905.51 |
141,835 |
| San Isidro del General |
74.1, SE |
702 |
3,500 |
Oct 9, 1931 |
| 20 |
León Cortés |
120.8 |
13,381 |
| San Pablo |
27.2, SSE |
1,542 |
2,500 |
Mar 29, 1962 |
"Carreta Típica" (Costa Rican typical oax cart).
San José, Costa Rica.
© 2010 Victor Hugo Ramírez (Derechos reservados) Costa Rica 21 S.A.
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The capital of San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. It is located in the Central Valley, and is the seat of the national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation centre of this Central American nation.
The mean elevation of the city is 1,161 m above sea level, and enjoys a stable climate throughout the year, with an average temperature of 20.3ºC (68.5ºF) and annual precipitation of 1800 mm, more than 90% of it falling in the rainy season (from May to November).
San José is the home for the main museums of Costa Rica. The National Museum, at the northern side of Plaza de la Democracia (at the eastern end of 2nd avenue) is a remodelling of the former "Cuartel Bella Vista" fortress, since the abolition in 1949 of the army, and just after being the home of Mauro Fernández, the great educator of the 19th century. There are exhibits of pre-Columbian and Colonial relics, natural history as well as cultural and religious thematics of Costa Rica.
An architectural jewel, the National Theatre, which was built in 1897 with funds provided from citizens contributions, is the main host to cultural activities in Costa Rica, and treasures an invaluable collection of Italian art made specially for it.
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