Escazú is the second canton in the province of San José in Costa Rica. The canton lies west of the San José Canton, and its whole territory is part of the Greater Metropolitan Area. The canton was one of the country's earliest, established on December 7, 1848. As the metropolitan area has expanded Escazú has become a suburban area on the west side of the national capital city of San José. It is delineated by the Río Tiribí on its northern border. The peak of Cerro Cedral in the Cerros de Escazú marks the southern limit of the canton.

Toponymy

The name "Escazú" derives from the indigenous word "Izt-kat-zu", which means "resting stone". The story tells of Indians traveling from Aserrí (south of San José) to Pacaca (near Ciudad Colón), who used to stop and rest at this location, which was about halfway between the two villages.

History

Escazú was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated 7 December 1848. The first inhabitants were natives from the Guetaras or Huaca tribes. By 1755, villagers were ordered out of Escazú and moved to San José by force. From 1796 to 1799, the church of San Miguel was built with the cooperation of the people who had already been re-established at this site. By 1801, the population of Escazú reached 1,325. On May 28, 1920, the government of Costa Rica granted Escazú the status of City, head of the Canton (County) of Escazú. Popular legend tags Escazú as La Ciudad de las Brujas (the City of the Witches), leading to its municipal seal, a depiction of a witch on a broomstick flying over the surrounding mountains. It has been suggested that this reputation stems from the perception of Crypto-Jewish traditions since a large number of Conversos were known to have settled in the area.

Landmarks

Local landmarks in the canton include the Costa Rica Country Club, the Multiplaza Mall, and, more recently, Avenida Escazú. These new complexes hold some of the world's most luxurious brands in Multiplaza Mall. Escazú is also home to several diplomatic missions, including the residence of the Ambassador from the United States.

Geography

Escazú has an area of 34.53 km2 and a mean elevation of 1129 m.

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 New Generation Party candidate, Orlando Esteban Umaña Umaña, was elected mayor of the canton with 30.28% of the votes, with Ligia Hernández Rojas and Sylvia Alpizar Antillón 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. Escazú's Municipal Council has 7 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 Terra Escazú regidor Mario Arce Guillén, with National Liberation Party member Silvia Quesada Marcela Zamora as vice president. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

Districts

The canton of Escazú is subdivided into three districts:

Demographics

Escazú had an estimated 71,500 residents in 2022, up from 56,509 for the 2011 census. The canton's urban areas are home to 79.8% of its population. Children under ten account for 17.88% of the population, while 6.05% are over 65. According to a publication by the United Nations Development Programme, Escazú ranked as the 2nd highest canton in Costa Rica regarding human development in 2022, with a score of 0.867, only behind Santa Ana.

Transportation

Road transportation

The following road routes cover the canton: • CR RNP 27.svg National Route 27 • CR RNS 105.svg National Route 105 • CR RNS 121.svg National Route 121 • CR RNS 167.svg National Route 167 • CR RNS 177.svg National Route 177 • CR RNT 310.svg National Route 310