Alajuela Province
Encyclopedia
Alajuela is a province
of Costa Rica
. It is located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua
to the north, and clockwise the provinces Heredia
, San José
, Puntarenas
and Guanacaste
. The province covers an area of 9,757.53 km², and has a population of 767,143.
The capital is Alajuela
, other important cities include Ciudad Quesada
.
Following the establishment of the city of Cartago
in the latter part of the 16th century, the incipient population began expanding westward. By the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Heredia
had grown such that it became a second base of expansion, again to the west.
To the Catholic
colonists one drawback to founding new settlements was the inherent difficulty in attending mass when living far from the established towns. For this reason, in 1782, a new parish that included several small settlements scattered to the west of Heredia
was formed in a site known as La Lajuela. Over time this place name evolved into Alajuela, which was also known as Villa Hermosa, "beautiful village."
The settlement of the northern portion of this province only began in earnest in the later half of the 19th century, and even so did not reach great proportions until the second half of the 20th century owing largely to the difficult access. In fact, much of the original colonization (apart from that of the Botos tribes who had inhabited the region for centuries prior to the coming of the Spaniards) came not from Costa Rica, but from Nicaragua
since numerous navigable rivers flow north from their origins in the cordilleras and empty into either Lake Nicaragua or the San Juan River
. This natural geographic connection was used (and to some extent still is today) by people coming from Nicaragua in search of new land or for exploiting forest products (e.g., hunting, rubber tapping, and extracting ipecac root).
, beans, and fruit
and vegetable
produce.
. Santamaría (nicknamed El Erizo (The Hedgehog) was a peasant boy who became the national hero during the Campaign of 1856-1857
when Costa Rica
defeated the army of the North-American filibusterer William Walker.
Provinces of Costa Rica
Costa Rica consists of 7 provinces :The provinces are further divided into cantons , which are subdivided into districts .-See also:* ISO 3166-2:CR* Cantons of Costa Rica* Districts of Costa Rica...
of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. It is located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
to the north, and clockwise the provinces Heredia
Heredia Province
Heredia is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the north-central part of the country. As a result, the province covers areas as diverse as the agriculture rich Northern plains of San Carlos as well as the more metropolitan areas like the city of Heredia located in the Central Valley...
, San José
San José Province
San José is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the central part of the country, and borders the provinces of Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Limón and Puntarenas. The provincial capital is San José. The province covers an area of 4,965.9 km²...
, Puntarenas
Puntarenas Province
Puntarenas is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the western part of the country, covering most of Costa Rica's Pacific Ocean coast, and it is the largest province in Costa Rica. Clockwise from the northwest it borders on the provinces Guanacaste, Alajuela, San José and Limón, and the...
and Guanacaste
Guanacaste Province
Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern part of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. To the north it borders Nicaragua. To the east is the Alajuela Province, and to the southeast is the Puntarenas Province. It is the most sparsely populated of all the...
. The province covers an area of 9,757.53 km², and has a population of 767,143.
The capital is Alajuela
Alajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
, other important cities include Ciudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada is a city in the district of Quesada in the cantón of San Carlos in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is the capital city of the cantón...
.
History
During the pre-Columbian time, Alajuela was occupied by an indigenous group called 'Huetares' in the south and 'Votos', 'Guatusos', 'Tices' and 'Catapas' in the north. In 1574 the indigenous reservation of Santa Catalina was founded which today is the Canton of Mateo.Following the establishment of the city of Cartago
Cartago, Costa Rica
- See also :* Cartago Agrarian Union Party* Provincial Integration Party Three* Cartago in Spanish...
in the latter part of the 16th century, the incipient population began expanding westward. By the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Heredia
Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José....
had grown such that it became a second base of expansion, again to the west.
To the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
colonists one drawback to founding new settlements was the inherent difficulty in attending mass when living far from the established towns. For this reason, in 1782, a new parish that included several small settlements scattered to the west of Heredia
Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José....
was formed in a site known as La Lajuela. Over time this place name evolved into Alajuela, which was also known as Villa Hermosa, "beautiful village."
The settlement of the northern portion of this province only began in earnest in the later half of the 19th century, and even so did not reach great proportions until the second half of the 20th century owing largely to the difficult access. In fact, much of the original colonization (apart from that of the Botos tribes who had inhabited the region for centuries prior to the coming of the Spaniards) came not from Costa Rica, but from Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
since numerous navigable rivers flow north from their origins in the cordilleras and empty into either Lake Nicaragua or the San Juan River
San Juan River (Nicaragua)
The San Juan River , also known as El Desaguadero , is a 192.06 km river that flows east out of Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean Sea. A large section of the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica runs on the right bank of the river...
. This natural geographic connection was used (and to some extent still is today) by people coming from Nicaragua in search of new land or for exploiting forest products (e.g., hunting, rubber tapping, and extracting ipecac root).
Economy
In the last few decades, with an extensive network of all-weather roads constructed in this once isolated region, cattle and crop production have come to dominate the countryside and a thriving agricultural economy now exists which supplies much of the nation's cornMaize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, beans, and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
and vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
produce.
Political divisions
Canton (Capital):- AlajuelaAlajuela CantonAlajuela is the name of the first canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 237,966...
(AlajuelaAlajuelaAlajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
) - San RamónSan Ramón CantonSan Ramón is the name of the second canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 72,568...
(San RamónSan Ramón, Costa RicaSan Ramón is a city of San Ramón Canton in Alajuela Province in Costa Rica. The central municipality of San Ramón covers an area of 1.29 km2, and has a population of 10,710. Adjoining distritos are also part of the city....
) - GreciaGrecia CantonGrecia is the name of the third canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 69,703. The capital city of the canton is also called Grecia....
(GreciaGreciaGrecia translated means Greece, the country.Grecia is the capital city of the canton of Grecia in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city. The district of Grecia covers an area of 6.86 km², and has a population of 15,457...
) - San MateoSan Mateo CantonSan Mateo is the name of the fourth canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 5,643 . The capital city of the canton is also called San Mateo....
(San MateoSan Mateo de AlajuelaSan Mateo is the capital city of the canton of San Mateo in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city. The district of San Mateo covers an area of 64.89 km², and has a population of 2,678....
) - AtenasAtenas CantonAtenas is the name of the fifth canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 23,743 . The capital city of the canton is also called Atenas....
(AtenasAtenasAtenas is the capital city of the canton of Atenas in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city. The district of Atenas covers an area of 8.93 km², and has a population of 7,716...
) - NaranjoNaranjo CantonNaranjo is the name of the sixth canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 40,134 . The capital city of the canton is also called Naranjo....
(NaranjoNaranjo de AlajuelaNaranjo is the capital city of the canton of Naranjo in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - PalmaresPalmares CantonPalmares is the name of the seventh canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 38.06 km², and has a population of 31,608. The capital city of the canton is also called Palmares....
(PalmaresPalmares de AlajuelaPalmares is the capital city of the canton of Palmares in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - PoásPoás CantonPoás is the name of the eighth canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 26,476 . The capital city of the canton is San Pedro....
(San PedroSan Pedro de PoásSan Pedro is the capital city of the canton of Poás in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - OrotinaOrotina CantonOrotina is the name of the ninth canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 16,651...
(Orotina) - San CarlosSan Carlos CantonSan Carlos is the name of the 10th canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , making it the largest canton in the country. It has a population of 137,499 , ranking it fifth...
(Ciudad QuesadaCiudad QuesadaCiudad Quesada is a city in the district of Quesada in the cantón of San Carlos in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is the capital city of the cantón...
, also known as San Carlos) - Alfaro Ruiz (ZarceroZarceroZarcero is the capital city of the canton of Zarcero in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - Valverde Vega (SarchíSarchíSarchí is the capital city of the canton of Valverde Vega also known as Sarchí in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica.The district of Sarchí covers an area of 15.11 km² , including the central area of the city. It has a population of 6,912...
) - UpalaUpala CantonUpala is the name of the 13th canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 40,767 . The capital city of the canton is also called Upala....
(UpalaUpalaUpala is the capital city of the canton of Upala in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - Los ChilesLos Chiles CantonLos Chiles is the name of the 14th canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , and has a population of 21,523 . The capital city of the canton is also called Los Chiles....
(Los ChilesLos ChilesLos Chiles is the capital city of the canton of Los Chiles in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
) - Guatuso (San RafaelSan Rafael de GuatusoSan Rafael is the capital city of the canton of Guatuso in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
)
Tourist attractions
- Juan Santamaria Museum
- Fraijanes Recreational Park
- Caño Negro Wildlife RefugeCaño Negro Wildlife RefugeCaño Negro Wildlife Refuge is a Wildlife refuge, part of the Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area, in the northern part of Costa Rica twenty kilometers south of Los Chiles near the border with Nicaragua in the Alajuela province...
- SarchíSarchíSarchí is the capital city of the canton of Valverde Vega also known as Sarchí in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica.The district of Sarchí covers an area of 15.11 km² , including the central area of the city. It has a population of 6,912...
(oxcart factories) - Poás Volcano National ParkPoás Volcano National ParkPoás Volcano National Park, in Spanish , is a National Park that covers an area of approximately ; the summit is . One of the attractive features about Poás is that you can get all the way to the edge of the crater...
- Carara Biological Reserve
- Panoramas of the lush and fertile plains of San CarlosSan Carlos CantonSan Carlos is the name of the 10th canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of , making it the largest canton in the country. It has a population of 137,499 , ranking it fifth...
Santamaría
Alajuela is famous as the home of the Costa Rican national hero Juan SantamaríaJuan Santamaría
Juan Santamaría , is officially recognized as the national hero of the Republic of Costa Rica. A national holiday in Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría Day, is held every April 11 to commemorate his death....
. Santamaría (nicknamed El Erizo (The Hedgehog) was a peasant boy who became the national hero during the Campaign of 1856-1857
Campaign of 1856-1857
The Campaign of 1856–1857 was when Costa Rica defeated the army of the American filibuster William Walker.-Initial Stages:In 1854, a civil war erupted in Nicaragua between the Legitimist party , and the Democratic party . The Democratic party sought military support from Walker who, to circumvent U.S...
when Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
defeated the army of the North-American filibusterer William Walker.