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.
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 as of the latest estimate (2022). The newest canton, Puerto Jiménez, was created on June 21, 2022, from the canton of Golfito.
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 , while the smallest by population is Monteverde with residents. The latest report from the National Geographic Institute listed the largest canton by land area as San Carlos, which spans and the smallest as Flores at .
Political structure
Each canton is controlled by a government unit called Municipalidad. 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.
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. 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. 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. Each municipal president appoints a number of working commissions that deal with issues specific to the municipality.
Cities in Costa Rica According to the Executive Decree N°41548-MGP (), 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 , head city of the canton.
Cantons
Canton City Province Population(2022)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. Population(2011) Change Land area (km2) Population density (2022) Incorporation date San José San José San José1848 Escazú Escazú San José1848 Desamparados Desamparados San José1862 Puriscal Santiago San José1868 Tarrazú San Marcos San José1868 Aserrí Aserrí San José1882 Mora Colón San José1883 Goicoechea Guadalupe San José1891 Santa Ana Santa Ana San José1907 Alajuelita Alajuelita San José1909 Vázquez de Coronado San Isidro San José1910 Acosta San Ignacio San José1910 Tibás San Juan San José1914 Moravia San Vicente San José1914 Montes de Oca San Pedro San José1915 Turrubares San Pablo San José1920 Dota Santa María San José1925 Curridabat Curridabat San José1929 Pérez Zeledón San Isidro de El General San José1931 León Cortés Castro San Pablo San José1961 Alajuela Alajuela Alajuela1848 San Ramón San Ramón Alajuela1856 Grecia Grecia Alajuela1848 San Mateo San Mateo Alajuela1868 Atenas Atenas Alajuela1868 Naranjo Naranjo Alajuela1886 Palmares Palmares Alajuela1888 Poás San Pedro Alajuela1901 Orotina Orotina Alajuela1908 San Carlos Quesada Alajuela1911 Zarcero Zarcero Alajuela1915 Sarchí Sarchí Norte Alajuela1949 Upala Upala Alajuela1970 Los Chiles Los Chiles Alajuela1970 Guatuso San Rafael Alajuela1970 Río Cuarto Río Cuarto Alajuela2017 Cartago Cartago Cartago1848 Paraíso Paraíso Cartago1848 La Unión Tres Ríos Cartago1848 Jiménez Juan Viñas Cartago1903 Turrialba Turrialba Cartago1903 Alvarado Pacayas Cartago1908 Oreamuno San Rafael Cartago1914 El Guarco El Tejar Cartago1939 Heredia Heredia Heredia1848 Barva Barva Heredia1848 Santo Domingo Santo Domingo Heredia1869 Santa Bárbara Santa Bárbara Heredia1882 San Rafael San Rafael Heredia1885 San Isidro San Isidro Heredia1905 Belén San Antonio Heredia1907 Flores San Joaquín Heredia1915 San Pablo San Pablo Heredia1961 Sarapiquí Puerto Viejo Heredia1970 Liberia Liberia Guanacaste1848 Nicoya Nicoya Guanacaste1848 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Guanacaste1848 Bagaces Bagaces Guanacaste1848 Carrillo Filadelfia Guanacaste1877 Cañas Cañas Guanacaste1878 Abangares Las Juntas Guanacaste1915 Tilarán Tilarán Guanacaste1923 Nandayure Carmona Guanacaste1961 La Cruz La Cruz Guanacaste1969 Hojancha Hojancha Guanacaste1971 Puntarenas Puntarenas Puntarenas1862 Esparza Esparza (Espíritu Santo district) Puntarenas1848 Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Puntarenas1914 Montes de Oro Miramar Puntarenas1915 Osa Puerto Cortés Puntarenas1940 Quepos Quepos Puntarenas1948 Golfito Golfito Puntarenas1949 Coto Brus San Vito Puntarenas1965 Parrita Parrita Puntarenas1971 Corredores Ciudad Neily (Corredor district) Puntarenas1973 Garabito Jacó Puntarenas1980 Monteverde Monteverde Puntarenas2021 Puerto Jiménez Puerto Jiménez Puntarenas2022 Limón Limón Limón1909 Pococí Guápiles Limón1911 Siquirres Siquirres Limón1969 Talamanca Bribrí Limón1911 Matina Matina Limón1969 Guácimo Guácimo Limón1971 Costa RicaNot including Cocos Island's land area.
See also
Provinces of Costa Rica Districts of Costa Rica
Notes
References