San José, Costa Rica

San José is the capital of Costa Rica and the largest urban area in the country. The city was founded in the eighteenth century, when Costa Rica was a Spanish colony. After a brief civil war, San José became the capital of the country’s independent government. San José represents the center of Costa Rica’s economy, including the export, tourism, and ecotourism industries.

Landscape

San José is located at the geographic center of the country, in what is known as the central valley or “meseta central.” The central valley is covered by volcanic soil that is excellent for agriculture. For that reason, the majority of the population has settled in the region.

The city is part of San José Province, which is primarily located in the central valley but also has mountainous zones at its periphery. There are four volcanoes located near the central valley, two of which are still active. The Irazú Volcano last erupted in the 1960s. The city sits at an elevation of 1,150 meters (3,773 feet) above sea level.

The province contains a range of climatic conditions, as the elevation shifts dramatically. The central valley has a generally mild climate, but is subject to frequent rains. The average temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius (59 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit).

The urban area of San José covers approximately 45 square kilometers (18 square miles). The downtown area is a business district, while the surrounding areas are primarily residential. San José Province is one of the smallest in Costa Rica.

People

There were approximately 5,256,612 people living in Costa Rica according to a 2023 estimate by the US Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. About 1.462 million lived in urban San José.

The majority of Costa Ricans are mestizos, or persons of mixed racial heritage (European and Native American). More than 83.6 percent of the Costa Rican population is white or mestizo (2011 estimate). About 6.7 percent of Costa Ricans are of African and European descent; 2.4 are Native American; and 1.1 percent are of African descent. International immigrants comprise 9 percent of the population; of these, about three-quarters are from neighboring Nicaragua. During most seasons of the year, the population increases by more than 10 percent due to an influx of temporary visitors from North America and Europe. Native Costa Ricans refer to themselves as “Ticos.”

The national languages of Costa Rica are Spanish and English, both of which are used for official documents and government communication. A majority of the population uses Spanish as the primary language. English is common in San José and in most of the country’s other urban areas.

According to the CIA’s World Factbook, in 2021, the population of Costa Rica was estimated to be 47.5 percent Roman Catholic, with 19.8 percent of the remaining population Evangelical or Pentecostal, and 27 percent saying they have no religion. The remainder are other religions. San José has several Catholic and other Christian churches, which are regarded as cultural landmarks.

The diverse culture of Costa Rica is reflected in the capital, where the rural and urban populations mix. San José features many restaurants, bars, and dance clubs in the central city area. San José has the highest crime rate in the nation, with most crimes involving property and vehicular theft. However, on the whole, Costa Rica has one of the lowest rates of violent crime in Central and South America.

Economy

Costa Rica’s economy is based on the tourism and ecotourism industries. In 2019, tourism directly accounted for 4.8 percent of gross domestic product. Agriculture accounted for an estimated 5.5 percent of the economy in 2017; major crops include bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, beef, sugarcane, rice, and houseplants.

San José also supports a growing industrial sector. The major industries include medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer and plastic products. Costa Rica’s main exports are produced by the agriculture and industrial manufacturing industries.

Costa Rica’s ecotourism industry is among the largest in the world. The country supports a number of hotels, resorts, and scientific institutions. Because the country’s economy is based on tourism, national parks and undisturbed wildlife habitats are among the country’s most valuable resources.

As the country’s economic and industrial hub, San José hosts the offices of most of the nation’s largest companies. The Juan Santamaría International Airport is the country’s main transportation terminal, and San José hotels profit from an annual influx of tourists and scientific conventions.

Landmarks

There are many natural landmarks in Costa Rica. The country has eleven volcanic cones, four of which are active volcanoes. Numerous beaches, forests, and jungles attract visitors from around the world. Costa Rica is known for its biodiversity, including thousands of plant, bird, insect, and reptile species that are of interest to both scientists and amateur enthusiasts. In addition to ecotourism, many conservation researchers study the wildlife in Costa Rica.

San José boasts numerous museums and cultural centers. The Gold Museum located in downtown San José features hundreds of gold artifacts by pre-Columbian artisans.

The Museo de Jade Fidel Tristán (Fidel Tristán Jade Museum) is another major attraction in San José, and features the largest collection of pre-Columbian jade artifacts in the world. The museum also features ceramics, tools, and other artifacts from the same period. Visitors to the museum are also offered a trip to the eleventh floor where they can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

The Mercado Central (Central Market) offers a variety of food items including produce, meats, and local spices. The market is also a good place to obtain native arts and handicrafts.

The Parque Nacional (National Park) is San José’s largest urban park and is located at the far eastern edge of the city. The Parque Nacional is a popular recreation area both for residents and visitors to the city.

History

Christopher Columbus visited what is now Costa Rica in 1502; at that time, the area had few inhabitants. The ancient city of Guayabo, located thirty miles east of San José, is considered one of the country’s most important archaeological sites.

Spain colonized Costa Rica in 1562, and populated the country with Spanish natives. San José was founded around 1737 by citizens representing a growing independence movement and wishing to distance themselves from the colonial government in nearby Cartago, then the seat of government. San José was named after Saint Joseph, who is considered its patron saint.

In 1821, Costa Rica was granted independence from Spain. Some people wanted the country to become part of Mexico, while others wanted to join a newly formed confederation of Central American states.

San José became the capital for those who were seeking independence, while the cities of Heredia and Cartago became the central locations for those wishing to join with Mexico. In 1823, a brief civil war erupted, resulting the formation of Costa Rica as an independent nation with San José as its capital.

Juan Mora Fernández was elected as the country’s first official leader in 1824. During the following decades, the government expanded and invested heavily in the coffee industry. After a short time, a group of aristocratic coffee farmers began to assert their power, creating a de facto oligarchy.

Civil strife continued for several years, as conservative leaders in Heredia and Cartago pushed to separate from the government in San José. As the coffee growers gained more power, they succeeded in dismantling the government and installing their own leader, Juan Rafael Mora Porras.

American physician, lawyer, and adventurer William Walker attempted to conquer Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica in the 1850s. Mora consolidated the local militia and was successful in driving Walker from the country. Walker was executed in Honduras in 1860.

Beginning in 1870, the country was ruled by a dictatorial regime under Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez, who ruled for twelve years. He reformed the tax system and used revenues to expand public works programs. After his party lost power, the country slowly moved back toward democracy.

Dr. Rafael Angel Calderón became leader of Costa Rica in 1940 and initiated a series of important economic and social reforms. In 1948, Calderón was defeated in a national election and refused to surrender the presidency. A forty-day civil war followed, resulting in the defeat of Calderón’s United Social Christian Party and the establishment of the Second Republic of Costa Rica.

José Figueres Ferrer commanded the military forces against Calderón and became president of Costa Rica. Ferrer expanded the reforms initiated by Calderón and also made the decision to abolish the country’s military. Ferrer is also remembered for his decision to allow women and persons of African descent to participate in elections.

Costa Rica was briefly drawn into the civil war in Nicaragua in the 1980s, and parts of Costa Rica were used as military bases by the Sandinistas. In 1986 Óscar Arias was elected president and played a major role in organizing peace talks between the leaders of the warring Central American states. His efforts made him one of the most popular presidents in Costa Rican history and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Bibliography

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