Alajuela (canton)

Alajuela was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167.

Alajuela has an area of {{cvt|391.62|km2}}{{Cite web |author=Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica |date=20 June 2024 |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 |language=es |format=PDF}} and a mean elevation of {{cvt|942|m}}.

Northward from the city of Alajuela, the canton continues along the border with the province of Heredia to its east, encompassing a strip of the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range) between Poas Volcano and Barva Volcano. On the Caribbean side of the mountains, the canton takes in a portion of the Sarapiquí area. The Río Poás (Poas River) forms the major portion of the canton's western border, finally giving way to the Río Poasito as the territory ascends into the Cordillera Central.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

Southwest of the city of Alajuela, the canton of Alajuela ends at the confluence of the Río Grande (Great River) and the Río Virilla (Virilla River).{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

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 |website=Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica |language=es}} As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the National Liberation Party candidate, Roberto Hernán Thompson Chacón, was elected mayor of the canton with 22.73% of the votes, with Sofía Marcela González Barquero and Elías Mateo Chaves Hernández as first and second vice mayors, respectively.{{Cite web |author=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |author-link=Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica |date=8 March 2024 |title=N.° 2156-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de Alajuela, 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/2156-E11-2024.html |access-date=24 July 2024 |language=es}}

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called {{lang|es|regidores}}) are elected every four years. Alajuela's Municipal Council has 11 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 Let's Renovate Alajuela Party member, Francisco Javier Sánchez Gómez, with National Liberation Party member, Mercedes Gutiérrez Carvajal, as vice president.{{Cite web |title=Regidores |url=https://www.munialajuela.go.cr/municipalidad/concejo-municipal/regidores |access-date=30 July 2024 |website=Municipalidad de Alajuela |language=es }} The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

File:Domo de la Catedral de Alajuela 2011.jpg

In the center of Alajuela, next to Parque de Alajuela, also known as "Parque de los Mangos", is Alajuela Cathedral, whose main feature is its red dome. This park is a popular place for locals to socialize, especially in the afternoons. One block west of the park is the Mercado Central de Alajuela, a bustling shopping centre.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}} Poás Volcano National Park is about {{convert|37|km}} north of Alajuela city and is known for its five waterfalls at La Paz Waterfall Gardens.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F1fH4cDh8GMC&pg=PT267&dq=Alajuela+cafe#q=Alajuela%20cafe|title=Fodor's Costa Rica 2012|date=November 2011|publisher=Fodor's|page=267|isbn=9780307929044}}

To the north of the Central Park is the Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría. This museum, situated in a building built in 1894-45, which was formerly a prison in the barracks of Alajuela, contains many historical maps, artifacts and portraits of the 1856-1857 campaign. In 1977 it became the headquarters of the Centro de Investigación para el Perfeccionamiento Técnico (CIPET), an institution of the Ministry of Public Education.{{cite web|url=https://www.museojuansantamaria.go.cr/museojs.html#arquitectura|title=Museo (arquitectura)|publisher=Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría|access-date=26 August 2019|language=es}}

The canton of Alajuela is subdivided into the following districts:

1. Alajuela
2. San José
3. Carrizal
4. San Antonio
5. Guácima
6. San Isidro
7. Sabanilla
8. San Rafael
9. Río Segundo
10. Desamparados
11. Turrúcares
12. Tambor
13. Garita
14. Sarapiquí

{{CR Census population}}

Alajuela was estimated to have {{formatnum:322143}} inhabitants in 2022, an increase from its {{formatnum:254886}} at the time of the 2011 census.{{Cite book |author=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos |author-link=National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica |url=https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-10/rePoblacResultadosGenerales_Estimacion_poblacion_vivienda_2022_0.pdf |title=Estimación de Población y Vivienda 2022 : Resultados Generales |date=July 2023 |access-date=30 July 2024 |isbn=9789930525753 |language=es |trans-title=2022 Population and Housing Estimate : General Results}}{{cite web |language=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}}

Alajuela had a Human Development Index of 0.784 in 2022,{{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=https://www.undp.org/es/costa-rica/publicaciones/atlas-de-desarrollo-humano-cantonal-2022/ |access-date=30 July 2024}} the highest score in its province and 19th among all cantons in Costa Rica.

The canton is covered by the following road routes:

{{columns-list|

• 25px National Route 1
• 25px National Route 3
• 25px National Route 27
• 25px National Route 107
• 25px National Route 111
• 25px National Route 118
• 25px National Route 119
• 25px National Route 120
• 25px National Route 122
• 25px National Route 123
• 25px National Route 124
• 25px National Route 125
• 25px National Route 126
• 25px National Route 130
• 25px National Route 136
• 25px National Route 140
• 25px National Route 146
• 25px National Route 147
• 25px National Route 153
• 25px National Route 712
• 25px National Route 718
• 25px National Route 719
• 25px National Route 721
• 25px National Route 727

}}

The Interurbano Line operated by Incofer goes through this canton.

It is a major area for the production of coffee, strawberries and ornamental plants.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ktgASWDjcIC&pg=PA121&dq=Alajuela+coffee+strawberries#q=Alajuela%20coffee%20strawberries|title=The Rough Guide to Costa Rica|author=McNeil, John|publisher=Rough Guides|year=2011|page=121|isbn=9781858287133}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lCxBJ9sNdEAC&pg=PA133&dq=Alajuela+ornamental+plants#q=Alajuela%20ornamental%20plants|title=The Rough Guide to Costa Rica|author=Drew, Keith|publisher=Rough Guides|page=133|year=2012|isbn=9781405391993}} The Doka Estate lies within the canton, in Sabanilla District, and is a major coffee producing estate, supplying directly to Starbucks.{{cite book|author=Glassman, Paul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBrdLxtKxK0C&q=Alajuela+Doka+Estate&dq=Alajuela+Doka+Estate|title=Costa Rica Guide|publisher=Open Road Publishing|year=2006|page=43|isbn = 9781593600686}}

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{{Provinces of Costa Rica}}

Category:Cantons of Alajuela Province

Category:Populated places in Alajuela Province