Cantons of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is administratively divided into seven provinces which are subdivided into 84 cantons, and these are further subdivided into districts. Cantons are the only administrative division in Costa Rica that possess local government in the form of municipalities. Each municipality has its own mayor and several representatives, all of them chosen via municipal elections every four years.

Map of Central America with Costa Rica highlighted

The original 14 cantons were established in 1848, and the number has risen gradually by the division of existing cantons. Law no. 4366 of 19 August 1969, which outlines the creation of administrative divisions of Costa Rica, states that new cantons may only be created if they have at least one percent of the republic's total population, which was 5,044,197 as of the latest estimate (2022).^{[1][2][lower-alpha 1]} The newest canton, Puerto Jiménez, was created on June 21, 2022, from the canton of Golfito.^[3]

According to the latest population estimate from the National Institute of Statistics and Census, the largest canton by population is the capital San José with a population of 352,381, while the smallest by population is Monteverde with 5,386 residents.^[4] The latest report from the National Geographic Institute listed the largest canton by land area as San Carlos, which spans 3,352.14 km² (1,294.27 sq mi) and the smallest as Flores at 6.75 km² (2.61 sq mi).^[5]

Political structure

Main article: Local government in Costa Rica

Each canton is controlled by a government unit called Municipalidad.^[6] The term reflects the fact that the cantons in Costa Rica have approximately the same function as municipios ("municipalities") in many other Spanish-speaking countries. This administrative unit consists of two bodies: a municipal council (Concejo Municipal) and an executive officer called a mayor (alcalde / alcaldesa municipal), a title that was introduced in 1998.^[6]

The mayor's main duties are to liaise with the municipal council, district councils and the entire administrative apparatus of the canton, and to approve and implement the decisions taken by the municipal council.^[7] The number of members of the municipal council varies from one canton to another, and they are elected by local elections held every four years.^[8] The head of the council is titled the municipal president (presidente municipal). The council's main task is to manage the canton at the local level, and is responsible for planning basic policies and establishing budgets. More specifically, the responsibilities include urban and agricultural planning and organizing cultural affairs, health care, education and industry.^[9] Each municipal president appoints a number of working commissions that deal with issues specific to the municipality.^[10]

Cities in Costa Rica

According to the Executive Decree N°41548-MGP (Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República), a city in Costa Rica is a ceremonial title awarded to a district or districts which contain the administrative center regardless of factors such as population, population density, or economic indicators. This designation is also known as cabecera de cantón, head city of the canton.^[11]

Cantons

• Largest cantons of Costa Rica by population
• 
  San José, Costa Rica's capital and largest canton by population
• 
  Alajuela, Costa Rica's second largest canton by population
• 
  Desamparados, Costa Rica's third largest canton by population and suburb of San Jose
• 
  Pavilion of Ciudad Quesada, located in Costa Rica's fourth largest canton by population, San Carlos

  Provincial Capital†

  National Capital and Provincial Capital‡

Canton	City[11]	Province	Population (2022)[lower-alpha 1][2][4]	Population (2011)[12]	Change	Land area (km2)[5]	Population density (2022)[lower-alpha 1][2]	Incorporation date[13]
San José‡	San José	San José	352,381	288,054	+22.3%	44.62	7,897.4/km2	1848
Escazú	Escazú	San José	71,500	56,509	+26.5%	34.53	2,070.7/km2	1848
Desamparados	Desamparados	San José	223,226	208,411	+7.1%	118.89	1,877.6/km2	1862
Puriscal	Santiago	San José	38,525	33,004	+16.7%	555.02	69.4/km2	1868
Tarrazú	San Marcos	San José	17,810	16,280	+9.4%	291.27	61.1/km2	1868
Aserrí	Aserrí	San José	59,588	57,892	+2.9%	168.26	354.1/km2	1882
Mora	Colón	San José	32,348	26,294	+23.0%	163.47	197.9/km2	1883
Goicoechea	Guadalupe	San José	132,104	115,084	+14.8%	31.7	4,167.3/km2	1891
Santa Ana	Santa Ana	San José	58,020	49,123	+18.1%	61.42	944.6/km2	1907
Alajuelita	Alajuelita	San José	81,012	77,603	+4.4%	21.47	3,773.3/km2	1909
Vázquez de Coronado	San Isidro	San José	67,078	60,486	+10.9%	223.93	299.5/km2	1910
Acosta	San Ignacio	San José	22,542	20,209	+11.5%	342.56	65.8/km2	1910
Tibás	San Juan	San José	74,592	64,842	+15.0%	8.27	9,019.6/km2	1914
Moravia	San Vicente	San José	59,546	56,919	+4.6%	28.82	2,066.1/km2	1914
Montes de Oca	San Pedro	San José	53,862	49,132	+9.6%	15.78	3,413.3/km2	1915
Turrubares	San Pablo	San José	6,173	5,512	+12.0%	416.25	14.8/km2	1920
Dota	Santa María	San José	9,364	6,948	+34.8%	404.44	23.2/km2	1925
Curridabat	Curridabat	San José	71,026	65,206	+8.9%	16.06	4,422.5/km2	1929
Pérez Zeledón	San Isidro de El General	San José	156,917	134,534	+16.6%	1,901.08	82.5/km2	1931
León Cortés Castro	San Pablo	San José	13,553	12,200	+11.1%	121.89	111.2/km2	1961
Alajuela†	Alajuela	Alajuela	322,143	254,886	+26.4%	391.62	822.6/km2	1848
San Ramón	San Ramón	Alajuela	93,264	80,566	+15.8%	1,021.74	91.3/km2	1856
Grecia	Grecia	Alajuela	76,226	76,898	−0.9%	142.47	535.0/km2	1848
San Mateo	San Mateo	Alajuela	6,952	6,136	+13.3%	125.03	55.6/km2	1868
Atenas	Atenas	Alajuela	30,407	25,460	+19.4%	126.31	240.7/km2	1868
Naranjo	Naranjo	Alajuela	46,647	42,713	+9.2%	127.01	367.3/km2	1886
Palmares	Palmares	Alajuela	39,148	34,716	+12.8%	38.94	1,005.3/km2	1888
Poás	San Pedro	Alajuela	36,207	29,199	+24.0%	74.48	486.1/km2	1901
Orotina	Orotina	Alajuela	24,217	20,341	+19.1%	145.11	166.9/km2	1908
San Carlos	Quesada	Alajuela	198,742	163,745	+21.4%	3,352.14	59.3/km2	1911
Zarcero	Zarcero	Alajuela	15,153	12,205	+24.2%	157.36	96.3/km2	1915
Sarchí	Sarchí Norte	Alajuela	21,562	18,085	+19.2%	136.76	157.7/km2	1949
Upala	Upala	Alajuela	57,361	43,953	+30.5%	1,592.67	36.0/km2	1970
Los Chiles	Los Chiles	Alajuela	34,701	23,735	+46.2%	1,332.71	26.0/km2	1970
Guatuso	San Rafael	Alajuela	18,316	15,508	+18.1%	752.83	24.3/km2	1970
Río Cuarto	Río Cuarto	Alajuela	14,418	11,074	+30.2%	254.89	56.6/km2	2017
Cartago†	Cartago	Cartago	165,417	147,898	+11.8%	278.66	593.6/km2	1848
Paraíso	Paraíso	Cartago	65,941	57,743	+14.2%	476.99	138.2/km2	1848
La Unión	Tres Ríos	Cartago	99,539	99,399	+0.1%	44.18	2,253.0/km2	1848
Jiménez	Juan Viñas	Cartago	18,710	14,669	+27.5%	250.07	74.8/km2	1903
Turrialba	Turrialba	Cartago	82,065	69,616	+17.9%	1,589.25	51.6/km2	1903
Alvarado	Pacayas	Cartago	17,134	14,312	+19.7%	79.18	216.4/km2	1908
Oreamuno	San Rafael	Cartago	48,911	45,473	+7.6%	202.9	241.1/km2	1914
El Guarco	El Tejar	Cartago	47,375	41,793	+13.4%	172	275.4/km2	1939
Heredia†	Heredia	Heredia	131,901	123,616	+6.7%	283.11	465.9/km2	1848
Barva	Barva	Heredia	47,699	40,660	+17.3%	56.01	851.6/km2	1848
Santo Domingo	Santo Domingo	Heredia	45,932	40,072	+14.6%	25.4	1,808.3/km2	1869
Santa Bárbara	Santa Bárbara	Heredia	39,133	36,243	+8.0%	52.1	751.1/km2	1882
San Rafael	San Rafael	Heredia	48,848	45,965	+6.3%	48.31	1,011.1/km2	1885
San Isidro	San Isidro	Heredia	22,806	20,633	+10.5%	26.67	855.1/km2	1905
Belén	San Antonio	Heredia	23,759	21,633	+9.8%	12.38	1,919.1/km2	1907
Flores	San Joaquín	Heredia	22,026	20,037	+9.9%	6.75	3,263.1/km2	1915
San Pablo	San Pablo	Heredia	29,860	27,671	+7.9%	8.34	3,580.3/km2	1961
Sarapiquí	Puerto Viejo	Heredia	67,153	57,147	+17.5%	2,144.38	31.3/km2	1970
Liberia†	Liberia	Guanacaste	80,130	62,987	+27.2%	1,442.17	55.6/km2	1848
Nicoya	Nicoya	Guanacaste	66,268	50,825	+30.4%	1,337.57	49.5/km2	1848
Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	Guanacaste	72,366	55,104	+31.3%	1,320.81	54.8/km2	1848
Bagaces	Bagaces	Guanacaste	23,709	19,536	+21.4%	1,277.93	18.6/km2	1848
Carrillo	Filadelfia	Guanacaste	48,227	37,122	+29.9%	599.01	80.5/km2	1877
Cañas	Cañas	Guanacaste	31,738	26,201	+21.1%	687.05	46.2/km2	1878
Abangares	Las Juntas	Guanacaste	22,211	18,039	+23.1%	646.02	34.4/km2	1915
Tilarán	Tilarán	Guanacaste	21,232	19,640	+8.1%	669.23	31.7/km2	1923
Nandayure	Carmona	Guanacaste	11,874	11,121	+6.8%	568.14	20.9/km2	1961
La Cruz	La Cruz	Guanacaste	26,829	19,181	+39.9%	1,385.38	19.4/km2	1969
Hojancha	Hojancha	Guanacaste	8,224	7,197	+14.3%	262.99	31.3/km2	1971
Puntarenas†	Puntarenas	Puntarenas	141,697	115,019	+23.2%	1,786.9	79.3/km2	1862
Esparza	Esparza (Espíritu Santo district)	Puntarenas	34,808	28,644	+21.5%	217.23	160.2/km2	1848
Buenos Aires	Buenos Aires	Puntarenas	50,562	45,244	+11.8%	2,382.94	21.2/km2	1914
Montes de Oro	Miramar	Puntarenas	16,395	12,950	+26.6%	247.59	66.2/km2	1915
Osa	Puerto Cortés	Puntarenas	36,088	29,433	+22.6%	1,932.7	18.7/km2	1940
Quepos	Quepos	Puntarenas	32,416	26,861	+20.7%	557.85	58.1/km2	1948
Golfito	Golfito	Puntarenas	44,086	39,150	+12.6%	1,032.32	42.7/km2	1949
Coto Brus	San Vito	Puntarenas	46,351	38,453	+20.5%	944.24	49.1/km2	1965
Parrita	Parrita	Puntarenas	20,068	16,115	+24.5%	483.22	41.5/km2	1971
Corredores	Ciudad Neily (Corredor district)	Puntarenas	51,023	41,831	+22.0%	623.61	81.8/km2	1973
Garabito	Jacó	Puntarenas	26,672	17,229	+54.8%	316.01	84.4/km2	1980
Monteverde	Monteverde	Puntarenas	5,386	4,155	+29.6%	53.47	100.7/km2	2021
Puerto Jiménez	Puerto Jiménez	Puntarenas	10,644	8,789	+21.1%	720.43	14.8/km2	2022
Limón†	Limón	Limón	116,457	94,415	+23.3%	1,769.38	65.8/km2	1909
Pococí	Guápiles	Limón	146,320	125,962	+16.2%	2,188.25	66.9/km2	1911
Siquirres	Siquirres	Limón	63,765	56,786	+12.3%	855.15	74.6/km2	1969
Talamanca	Bribrí (Bratsi district)	Limón	48,906	30,712	+59.2%	2,792.23	17.5/km2	1911
Matina	Matina	Limón	45,329	37,721	+20.2%	770.4	58.8/km2	1969
Guácimo	Guácimo	Limón	49,606	41,266	+20.2%	801.56	61.9/km2	1971
Costa Rica			5,044,197	4,301,712	+17.3%	51,170.45[lower-alpha 2]	98.6/km2

See also

• Costa Rica portal
• Government portal

• Provinces of Costa Rica
• Districts of Costa Rica

Notes

1. The Eleventh Population Census (2022) experienced significant issues, including problems stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in only successfully sampling around 60% of homes and estimates having to be used.
2. Not including Cocos Island's land area.

References

1. Comisión Nacional de División Territorial Administrativa (1980). Estudio sobre la División Territorial Administrativa de la Republica de Costa Rica [Study on the Administrative Territorial Division of the Republic of Costa Rica] (in Spanish). Costa Rica: Imprenta Nacional. §53.
2. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (July 2023). Estimación de Población y Vivienda 2022: Resultados Generales [2022 Population and Housing Estimate: General Results] (PDF) (in Spanish). San José, Costa Rica. ISBN 978-9930-525-75-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
3. Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Costa Rica (2022-06-21). "Ley N° 10195 - Creación del Cantón de Puerto Jiménez, Cantón Décimo Tercero de la Provincia de Puntarenas" [Law № 10195 - Creation of the Canton of Puerto Jiménez, Thirteenth Canton of the Province of Puntarenas]. Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
4. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (2023). "Resultados Estimacion de Poblacion y Vivienda 2022" [2022 Population and Housing Estimate Results] (XLSX) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
5. Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica (2024-06-20). "DIVISIÓN TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVA, 2024 - TOTALES DE PROVINCIAS, CANTONES Y DISTRITOS DE COSTA RICA" [ADMINISTRATIVE TERRITORIAL DIVISION, 2024 - TOTALS OF PROVINCES, CANTONS AND DISTRICTS OF COSTA RICA] (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-07-16.
6. Alfaro and Zeledón (2006). Derechos ciudadanos y el gobierno local en Costa Rica [Rights of citizens and local governments in Costa Rica] (in Spanish). San José: Lara Segura & Asoc. p. 35.
7. Alfaro and Zeledón (2006). Derechos ciudadanos y el gobierno local en Costa Rica [Rights of citizens and local governments in Costa Rica] (in Spanish). San José: Lara Segura & Asoc. pp. 36–37.
8. "El Elector" [The Elector] (PDF) (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-20. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
9. Unidad de Información y Adiestramiento (1987). La Municipalidad y sus funciones [The Municipality and its functions] (in Spanish). San José. §6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
10. Unidad de Información y Adiestramiento (1987). La Municipalidad y sus funciones [The Municipality and its functions] (in Spanish). San José. §11.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
11. "Division Territorial Administrativa de Costa Rica" (in Spanish). Sistema Costarricense de Informacion Juridica. September 2, 2009. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
12. "Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito" [Total population by area and sex, province, county and district] (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos. 2011. Archived from the original (XLS) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
13. "Division Territorial Administrativa de Costa Rica" [Administrative Territorial Divisions of Costa Rica] (PDF) (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 2, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2015.