:Escazú (canton)

The name "Escazú" derives from the indigenous word "Izt-kat-zu", which means "resting stone". The story tells of Indians traveling from Aserrí (south of San José) to Pacaca (near Ciudad Colón), who used to stop and rest at this location, which was about halfway between the two villages.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

Escazú was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated 7 December 1848.{{cite book |last1=Hernández |first1=Hermógenes |title=Costa Rica: evolución territorial y principales censos de población 1502 - 1984 |date=1985 |publisher=Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia |location=San José |isbn=9977-64-243-5 |pages=164–173 |edition=1 |url=https://ccp.ucr.ac.cr/bvp/mapoteca/CostaRica/generales/atlas_censal/ |access-date=5 October 2020 |language=es}}

The first inhabitants were natives from the Guetaras or Huaca tribes. By 1755, villagers were ordered out of Escazú and moved to San José by force. From 1796 to 1799, the church of San Miguel was built with the cooperation of the people who had already been re-established at this site. By 1801, the population of Escazú reached 1,325. On May 28, 1920, the government of Costa Rica granted Escazú the status of City, head of the Canton (County) of Escazú.

Popular legend tags Escazú as {{lang|es|La Ciudad de las Brujas}} (the City of the Witches), leading to its municipal seal, a depiction of a witch on a broomstick flying over the surrounding mountains. It has been suggested that this reputation stems from the perception of Crypto-Jewish traditions since a large number of Conversos were known to have settled in the area.{{cite book |last1=Metal |first1=Roots |title=The Witches of Escazú and Other Jewish Fairytales |date=2021 |isbn=979-8-9851054-0-7 |page=14-15}}

Local landmarks in the canton include the Costa Rica Country Club, the Multiplaza Mall, and, more recently, Avenida Escazú. These new complexes hold some of the world's most luxurious brands in Multiplaza Mall. Escazú is also home to several diplomatic missions, including the residence of the Ambassador from the United States.

Escazú has an area of {{Cvt|34.53|km2}}{{Cite web |author=Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica |date=2024-06-20 |title=División Territorial Administrativa, 2024 – Totales de Provincias, Cantones y Distritos de Costa Rica |trans-title=Administrative Territorial Division, 2024 – Totals of Provinces, Cantons and Districts of Costa Rica |url=https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/DTA-TABLA%20POR%20PROVINCIA-CANT%C3%93N-DISTRITO%202024.pdf |access-date=2024-07-16 |language=es |format=PDF}} and a mean elevation of {{cvt|1129|m}}.

According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton.{{Cite web |author=Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica |author-link=Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica |date=13 May 2024 |title=Código Municipal |trans-title=Municipal Code |url=http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=40197 |access-date=21 July 2024 |website=Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica |language=es}} As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the New Generation Party candidate, Orlando Esteban Umaña Umaña, was elected mayor of the canton with 30.28% of the votes, with Ligia Hernández Rojas and Sylvia Alpizar Antillón as first and second vice mayors, respectively.{{Cite web |author=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |author-link=Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica |date=21 February 2024 |title=N.° 1658-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho. |url=https://www.tse.go.cr/juris/relevantes/1658-E11-2024.html |access-date=21 July 2024 |language=es}}

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called {{lang|es|regidores}}) are elected every four years. Escazú's Municipal Council has 7 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor ({{Lang|es|regidor propietario}}) is absent. The current president of the Municipal Council is the Terra Escazú regidor Mario Arce Guillén, with National Liberation Party member Silvia Quesada Marcela Zamora as vice president.{{Cite web |author=Concejo Municipal de Escazú |date=13 May 2024 |title=ACTA 02-2024 Sesión Ordinaria 02 |url=https://www.escazu.go.cr/sites/default/files/Documentos/acta_02-24_ord._02-24_13-05-2024_0.pdf |access-date=21 July 2024 |language=es}} The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

The canton of Escazú is subdivided into three districts:{{cite web|url=http://www.ifam.go.cr/PaginaIFAM/ifams/Descargas/CDI/Legal/Divisi%C3%B3n%20Territorial%20CR%20%20Publicado%20en%20La%20Gaceta%2026%20mayo%202009.pdf |title=División Territorial Administrativa de Costa Rica |language=es |publisher=Instituto de Fomento y Asesoria Municipal (IFAM) |date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802162747/http://www.ifam.go.cr/PaginaIFAM/ifams/Descargas/CDI/Legal/Divisi%C3%B3n%20Territorial%20CR%20%20Publicado%20en%20La%20Gaceta%2026%20mayo%202009.pdf |archive-date=August 2, 2015 }}

• Escazú
• San Antonio
• San Rafael

{{CR Census population}}

Escazú had an estimated {{formatnum:71500}} residents in 2022, up from {{formatnum:56509}} for the 2011 census.{{Cite web |author=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos |author-link=National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica |date=2023 |title=Resultados Estimacion de Poblacion y Vivienda 2022 |trans-title=2022 Population and Housing Estimate Results |url=https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604233425/https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx |archive-date=2024-06-04 |access-date=2024-04-21 |language=es |format=XLSX}}{{cite web |lang=es |title=Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito |url=https://www.inec.cr/censos/censos-2011 |website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos |access-date=26 September 2020}}

The canton's urban areas are home to 79.8% of its population. Children under ten account for 17.88% of the population, while 6.05% are over 65.

According to a publication by the United Nations Development Programme, Escazú ranked as the 2nd highest canton in Costa Rica regarding human development in 2022, with a score of {{formatnum:0.867}}, only behind Santa Ana.{{Cite web |author=Sistema Nacional de Información y Registro Único de Beneficiarios del Estado |author2=Escuela de Estadística de la Universidad de Costa Rica |author-link2=University of Costa Rica |author3=Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo |author-link3=United Nations Development Programme |date=9 June 2023 |title=Atlas de Desarrollo Humano Cantonal en Costa Rica, 2022 |url=http://www.pnud.or.cr/mapa-cantonal/desarrollo-humano.html |access-date=21 July 2024}}

The following road routes cover the canton:

{{columns-list|

• 25px National Route 27
• 25px National Route 105
• 25px National Route 121
• 25px National Route 167
• 25px National Route 177
• 25px National Route 310

}}

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{{Provinces and cantons of Costa Rica}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Escazu Canton}}

Category:Cantons of San José Province

Category:Greater Metropolitan Area (Costa Rica)