Geography
The capital limits to the North with San Antonio de Belén, Santo Domingo (Province of Heredia), and Alajuela, to the east it borders Montes de Oca and Curridabat (Cartago and Limón), to the West and South with Desamparados, Alajuelita and with the well-known and very visited by tourists interested in retiring in Costa Rica the canton of Escazú. Located at 1,160 m high in the valley of the same name of the Central Plateau, between the Aguilar and Torres rivers. By 1917 it had about 36,000 residents and 87,000 in 1950.
Climate
According to abbreviationfinder, Saint Joseph is located at an altitude of 1,170 meters above sea level and is located in the Central Valley which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and majestic volcanoes. The temperature ranges between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius. The nights are always a little cooler. San José accumulates an annual rainfall of approximately 2,200 mm and the wettest months are May, September, October and November.
The rest of the year is quite sunny and some days there are quite short showers. It has the rivers: Virilla, Pirrís, Grande de Candelaria, Naranjo, División, Chirripó, General and Pejibaye.
Economic development
Its development, which began in the first half of the 20th century, has been favored by its location in the center of a rich coffee- producing area and at the communication junction between the Pan-American highway and the trans-isthmian highway.
It is the first commercial and industrial nucleus of the country; agricultural machinery, construction foundries, chemical and food products. It communicates by rail with the ports of Puntarenas (Pacific) and Limón (Atlantic). [1]
The most consolidated democracy in America, it has maintained good political stability, despite the economic and social difficulties of the last two decades. It gained worldwide recognition as the first country to abolish the army on December 1, 1948. Its human development index, one of the best in Latin America, places it in fourth position behind Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. It ranks fifth globally as ranked by the 2008 Environmental Performance Index.
Transport
Aerial
The most important international airport in Costa Rica is located in the western part of the city, in the province of Alajuela, 20 km away. from San José and is known as the Juan Santamaría International Airport, one of the best in Central America.
It has the largest network of direct flights from Central America to North America and a total of 37 international destinations, including cities throughout the American continent and Europe. Its passenger traffic was 4.4 million in 2010. Currently it has been expanded and modernized and plans to continue its expansion in the short term. Principal of the Costa Rican airline LACSA member of TACA.
Maritime
Due to the characteristics of its rivers and its mountainous topography, there are no commercial ports in San José.
Railway
Since 2004 the Costa Rican Railway Institute (INCOFER) has launched a metropolitan interurban transport system thanks to its new train units purchased from FEVE from other cities in its agglomeration such as Tibás, Heredia, San Antonio de Belén, Pavas, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Sabanilla and Curridabat.
Cantons and districts
The province of San José is divided into 20 cantons and 111 districts. The cantons and their headwaters are:
- San José, the central canton of the province.
- Escazú, Escazú.
- Homeless, Homeless.
- Puriscal, Santiago.
- Tarrazú, San Marcos.
- Aserrí, Aserrí.
- Mora, Colon.
- Goicoechea, Guadalupe.
- Santa Ana, Santa Ana.
- Alajuelita, Alajuelita.
- Vázquez de Coronado, San Isidro.
- Acosta, San Ignacio.
- Tibás, San Juan.
- Moravia, Saint Vincent.
- Montes de Oca, San Pedro.
- Turrubares, San Pablo.
- Dota, Santa Maria.
- Curridabat, Curridabat.
- Pérez Zeledón, San Isidro del General.
- León Cortés, San Pablo.
Health
The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) is a state institution in charge of managing and maintaining the public medical centers of Costa Rica in addition to supplying them with medicines, medical equipment, cleaning and hygiene products, etc. Also in charge of ensuring the social security of the country together with the Social Protection Board of San José. It is responsible for providing health and pension insurance, organizing vaccination campaigns, preventing the spread of diseases and fumigation.
Good medical care and an acceptable health service are obtained in the country and mainly in the city, thanks to this, life expectancies in Costa Rica are the highest. The most important public hospital is the Hospital San Juan de Dios, the first hospital founded in Costa Rica in 1845. It is located in the Hospital district, in the heart of San José. In 1989 it was declared a worthy institution of the Homeland. See population of Costa Rica.
Other public hospitals in the city are:
- The Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia Hospital (class A general hospital).
- The Hospital México (general hospital class A).
- The Carlos Sáenz Herrera National Children’s Hospital (pediatric specialties).
- The Raúl Blanco Cervantes Geriatric Hospital (geriatrics and gerontology).
- The Dr. Adolfo Carit Eva Women’s Hospital (gynecology-obstetrics and breast pathology).
- The National Psychiatric Hospital.
- National Poisoning Center.
- Burns Unit.
- Pain Clinic and Palliative Care.
- National Rehabilitation Center (CENARE)
- Similarly, the city has many private hospitals and clinics. The headquarters of the Costa Rican Red Cross is also in San José.
