Alajuela is a canton in the Alajuela province of Costa Rica. Its head city is the provincial capital city of Alajuela.
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History
Alajuela was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167.
Geography
Alajuela has an area of 391.62 km2 (151.21 sq mi) and a mean elevation of 942 m (3,091 ft).
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.
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).
Government
Mayor
According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton. 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.
Municipal Council
Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called 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 (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. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:
Landmarks
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. Poás Volcano National Park is about 37 kilometres (23 mi) north of Alajuela city and is known for its five waterfalls at La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
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.
Districts
The canton of Alajuela is subdivided into the following districts:
Alajuela
San José
Carrizal
San Antonio
Guácima
San Isidro
Sabanilla
San Rafael
Río Segundo
Desamparados
Turrúcares
Tambor
Garita
Sarapiquí
Demographics
Alajuela was estimated to have 322,143 inhabitants in 2022, an increase from its 254,886 at the time of the 2011 census.
Alajuela had a Human Development Index of 0.784 in 2022, the highest score in its province and 19th among all cantons in Costa Rica.
Transportation
Road transportation
The canton is covered by the following road routes:
Rail transportation
The Interurbano Line operated by Incofer goes through this canton.
Economy
It is a major area for the production of coffee, strawberries and ornamental plants. The Doka Estate lies within the canton, in Sabanilla District, and is a major coffee producing estate, supplying directly to Starbucks.