Talamanca
Encyclopedia
Talamanca is one of six cantons
(or counties) that make up the province of Limón
in Costa Rica
. It is the largest of Costa Rica's 81 cantons, covering an area of 2809.93 km² (1,084.9 sq mi), and has a population of 32,555. The county is composed of four districts (see graphic below), with its capital city, Bribrí
, located in the Bratsi district. Talamanca houses the largest indigenous population in the country (at 11,062, or 34% of the county's population), which is composed principally of the Bribri and Cabécar groups (who in turn represent two of Costa Rica's eight distinct indigenous groups).
Eight-eight percent of Talamanca's territory is protected. Fifty-five percent of this land falls under the Chiripó, Amistad, and Cahuita National Parks; 31% covers Talamanca's four indigenous reserves (Kekoldi, Talamanca Bribrí, Talamanca Cabécar, and Telire); and 2% belongs to the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo national "reserve" (a major tortoise breeding ground).
The Costa Rican government is highly aggressive (albeit a bit slow to act) in its protection of these lands. On July 27, 2011, for example, the Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y Telecomunicaciones (Minaet) carried out the demolition of two hotels (Las Palmas and Suerre), due to their occupation of 4 hectares of land within the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo. This demolition was the culmination of events starting in 1993, when Minaet revoked these hotels' permission of occupation.
The county suffers from pervasive poverty. As of 2009, its human-development index is the lowest-ranked of all Costa Rican cantons. While its most recent infant mortality rate is 12.89% (2009), it was as high as 22.5% (2003), and stayed above 15% between 2003 and 2007. As of 2010, 52.3% of Talamanca inhabitants have access to sanitation (either piped or septic tank), and 75.2% are connected to electricity.
Talamanca contains one of Costa Rica's three official border-crossing points (Sixaola-Guabito). The county is noted for its beautiful beaches, especially in Cahuita
and Puerto Viejo
(Old Harbor), which are popular tourist locations.
The canton of Talamanca is subdivided into four districts
(distritos):
Cantons of Costa Rica
This is a list of the cantons of Costa Rica.Cantons are the second-level administrative division of Costa Rica. The country's seven provinces are subdivided into 81 cantons , and these are further subdivided into districts .A unique feature of the cantons is that they are the only administrative...
(or counties) that make up the province of Limón
Limón Province
Limón is one of seven provinces in Costa Rica. The majority of its territory is situated in the country's Caribbean lowlands, though the southwestern portion houses part of an extensive mountain range known as the Cordillera de Talamanca...
in 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 the largest of Costa Rica's 81 cantons, covering an area of 2809.93 km² (1,084.9 sq mi), and has a population of 32,555. The county is composed of four districts (see graphic below), with its capital city, Bribrí
Bribri, Costa Rica
Bribri is the capital city of the Talamanca Canton in the province of Limón in Costa Rica....
, located in the Bratsi district. Talamanca houses the largest indigenous population in the country (at 11,062, or 34% of the county's population), which is composed principally of the Bribri and Cabécar groups (who in turn represent two of Costa Rica's eight distinct indigenous groups).
Eight-eight percent of Talamanca's territory is protected. Fifty-five percent of this land falls under the Chiripó, Amistad, and Cahuita National Parks; 31% covers Talamanca's four indigenous reserves (Kekoldi, Talamanca Bribrí, Talamanca Cabécar, and Telire); and 2% belongs to the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo national "reserve" (a major tortoise breeding ground).
The Costa Rican government is highly aggressive (albeit a bit slow to act) in its protection of these lands. On July 27, 2011, for example, the Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y Telecomunicaciones (Minaet) carried out the demolition of two hotels (Las Palmas and Suerre), due to their occupation of 4 hectares of land within the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo. This demolition was the culmination of events starting in 1993, when Minaet revoked these hotels' permission of occupation.
The county suffers from pervasive poverty. As of 2009, its human-development index is the lowest-ranked of all Costa Rican cantons. While its most recent infant mortality rate is 12.89% (2009), it was as high as 22.5% (2003), and stayed above 15% between 2003 and 2007. As of 2010, 52.3% of Talamanca inhabitants have access to sanitation (either piped or septic tank), and 75.2% are connected to electricity.
Talamanca contains one of Costa Rica's three official border-crossing points (Sixaola-Guabito). The county is noted for its beautiful beaches, especially in Cahuita
Cahuita
Cahuita is a small city located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Cahuita is located in the Talamanca Canton of Limón Province. Cahuita is the capital of the Cahuita District. Due to its proximity to the Caribbean shoreline, Cahuita is renowned for Afro-Caribbean influence on dining and local...
and Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a coastal town in the Talamanca Canton in Limón Province. The town is located in southeastern Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is known simply as Puerto Viejo to locals. A town in northeastern Costa Rica is also commonly known as Puerto Viejo; this fact can confuse...
(Old Harbor), which are popular tourist locations.
Districts
Districts of Costa Rica
| The cantons of Costa Rica are subdivided into 473 districts .-References:...
(distritos):
| District | Postal code | Alt. (m) | Area (km2) | Pop. (2008) | Coordinates | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bratsi | 70401 | 32 | 179.25 | 09°37′35"N 82°51′14"W | Bribri Bribri, Costa Rica Bribri is the capital city of the Talamanca Canton in the province of Limón in Costa Rica.... |
|
| Barrios (neighborhoods): Fields, Sand Box | ||||||
| Poblados (villages): Altamira, Akberie (Piedra Grande), Bambú, Chase, Cuabre, Gavilán Canta, Mleyuk 1, Mleyuk 2, Monte Sión, Olivia, Hu-Berie (Rancho Grande), Shiroles, Sibujú, Suretka, Uatsi | ||||||
| Sixaola | 70402 | 10 | 171.78 | 09°30′10"N 82°36′55"W | ||
| Poblados (villages): Ania, Boca Sixaola, Catarina, Celia, Daytonia, Gandoca, Margarita, Mata de Limón, Noventa y Seis, Palma, Paraíso, Parque, San Miguel, San Miguelito, San Rafael, Virginia, Zavala | ||||||
| Cahuita | 70403 | 4 | 235.64 | 09°44′22"N 82°50′32"W | ||
| Poblados (villages): Buenavista (Katuir), Bordón, Carbón, Carbón 1, Carbón 2, Catarata, Cocles, Comadre, Dindirí, Gibraltar, Hone Creek, Hotel Creek, Kekoldi, Limonal, Manzanillo, Mile Creek, Patiño, Playa Chiquita, Puerto Viejo Puerto Viejo de Talamanca Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a coastal town in the Talamanca Canton in Limón Province. The town is located in southeastern Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is known simply as Puerto Viejo to locals. A town in northeastern Costa Rica is also commonly known as Puerto Viejo; this fact can confuse... , Punta Caliente, Punta Cocles, Punta Mona, Punta Uva, Tuba Creek (part) |
||||||
| Telire | 70404 | 70 | 2223.26 | 09°31′10"N 82°57′22"W | Amubri | |
| Poblados (villages): Alto Cuen (Kjacka Bata), Alto Lari (Duriñak), Alto Urén, Arenal, Bajo Blei, Bajo Cuen, Boca Urén, Bris, Cachabli, Coroma, Croriña, China Kichá, Dururpe, Guachalaba, Katsi, Kichuguecha, Kivut, Mojoncito, Namuwakir, Orochico, Ourut, Purisquí, Purita, Rangalle, San José Cabecar, Sepeque, Shewab, Sipurio, Soky, Sorókicha, Sukut, Surayo, Suiri, Telire, Turubokicha, Urén | ||||||