Alajuela is a canton in the Alajuela province of Costa Rica. Its head city is the provincial capital city of Alajuela.

History

Alajuela was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167.

Geography

Alajuela has an area of 391.62 km2 and a mean elevation of 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. 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 km 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:

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: • CR RNP 1.svg National Route 1 • CR RNP 3.svg National Route 3 • CR RNP 27.svg National Route 27 • CR RNS 107.svg National Route 107 • CR RNS 111.svg National Route 111 • CR RNS 118.svg National Route 118 • CR RNS 119.svg National Route 119 • CR RNS 120.svg National Route 120 • CR RNS 122.svg National Route 122 • CR RNS 123.svg National Route 123 • CR RNS 124.svg National Route 124 • CR RNS 125.svg National Route 125 • CR RNS 126.svg National Route 126 • CR RNS 130.svg National Route 130 • CR RNS 136.svg National Route 136 • CR RNS 140.svg National Route 140 • CR RNS 146.svg National Route 146 • CR RNS 147.svg National Route 147 • CR RNS 153.svg National Route 153 • CR RNT 712.svg National Route 712 • CR RNT 718.svg National Route 718 • CR RNT 719.svg National Route 719 • CR RNT 721.svg National Route 721 • CR RNT 727.svg National Route 727

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.