| Bagaces | |
| Native Name Lang: | es |
| Settlement Type: | Canton |
| Pushpin Map: | Costa Rica |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Bagaces canton location in Costa Rica |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Bagaces canton location in Costa Rica |
| Coordinates: | 10.5157°N -85.2478°W |
| Map Alt: | Bagaces canton |
| Established Title: | Creation |
| Established Date: | 7 December 1848[1] |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Guanacaste |
| Seat Type: | Head city |
| Seat: | Bagaces |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Governing Body: | Spanish; Castilian: Municipalidad de Bagaces |
| Parts Type: | Districts |
| Parts Style: | list |
| Parts: | Districts |
| P1: | Bagaces |
| P2: | Fortuna |
| P3: | Mogote |
| P4: | Río Naranjo |
| Area Total Km2: | 889.07 |
| Elevation M: | 396 |
| Population Total: | 19536 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Blank Name: | Canton code |
| Blank Info: | 504 |
Bagaces is a canton in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica.[2] [3] The head city is in Bagaces district.
In the Pre-Columbian era, Bagaces was home to the Nicarao people who settled in Guanacaste after migrating from Central and southern Mexico. Evidence of Mesoamerican style markets and Jade showed that Bagaces had flourished during Pre-Columbian times.[4] [5] [6] [7] Bagaces was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167. Bagaces is also one of the oldest settlements in early Spanish conquest in the 1540s. It became an important town after 1601 when the "Mule Trail" was established communicating Cartago, the capital of the province, with Guatemala, the capital of the Captaincy General. Bagaces was a necessary night stop and later acquired fame because of its dry bisquist (Biscocho) and cheese (Queso Bagaces), an important supply for the long ride.
Bagaces has an area of km²[8] and a mean elevation of metres.
The Salto River on the west and Tenorio River on the east delineate this canton, with the Tempisque River as the southern border and the northern border high in the Cordillera de Guanacaste. Miravalles Volcano sits near that border's midway point.
The canton of Bagaces is subdivided into the following districts:
For the 2011 census, Bagaces had a population of inhabitants.[9]
The canton is covered by the following road routes: