Escazú (canton) explained

Escazú
Native Name Lang:es
Settlement Type:Canton
Pushpin Map:Costa Rica San José#Costa Rica
Pushpin Mapsize:300px
Pushpin Map Alt:Escazú canton location in San José Province##Escazú canton location in Costa Rica
Pushpin Map Caption:Escazú canton location in San José Province##Escazú canton location in Costa Rica
Coordinates:9.9167°N -84.1532°W
Map Alt:Escazú canton
Image Alt:Escazú at night.
Established Title:Creation
Established Date:7 December 1848
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:San José
Seat Type:Head city
Seat:Escazú
Government Type:Municipality
Governing Body:Spanish; Castilian: Municipalidad de Escazú
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Orlando Esteban Umaña Umaña (PNG)
Parts Type:Districts
Parts Style:list
Parts:Districts
P1:Escazú
P2:San Antonio
P3:San Rafael
Area Total Km2:34.53
Elevation M:1129
Population Total:56509
Population As Of:2011
Population Est:71500
Pop Est As Of:2022
Population Density Km2:auto
Blank Name:Canton code
Blank Info:102

Escazú is the second canton in the province of San José in Costa Rica.[1] [2]

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.[3] 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.[4]

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 Spanish; Castilian: 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.[5]

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 [6] and a mean elevation of .[1]

Government

Mayor

According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton.[7] 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.[8]

Mayors of Escazú since the 2002 elections[9] !Period!Name!Party
2002–2006Marco Antonio Segura Seco PLN
2006–2010
2010–2016Arnoldo Valentín Barahona Cortés YUNTA
2016–2020
2020–2024 PNG
2024–2028Orlando Esteban Umaña Umaña

Municipal Council

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called Spanish; Castilian: 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 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.[10] The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

Current composition of the Municipal Council of Escazú after the 2024 municipal elections[11]
Political parties in the Municipal Council of Escazú
Political partyRegidores
OwnerSubstitute
New Generation Party (PNG)2José Campos QuesadaGeovanni Andrés Vargas Delgado
Sigrid Miller EsquivelAna María Barrenechea Soto
United We Can (UP)1Laura Fonseca HerreraSeydi Vargas Rojas
United for Escazú (UPES)1Ricardo López GranadosJames Eduardo Chacón Castro
Terra Escazú (TE)1Mario Arce Guillén(P)Manuel Flores Fernández
Escazú's Progressive Yoke (YUNTA)1Adriana Solís ArayaDoris Mayela Agüero Córdoba
National Liberation Party (PLN)1Silvia Marcela Quesada Zamora(VP)Silvia María Castro Mendoza

Districts

The canton of Escazú is subdivided into three districts:[12]

Demographics

Escazú had an estimated residents in 2022, up from for the 2011 census.[13] [14]

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, only behind Santa Ana.[15]

Transportation

Road transportation

The following road routes cover the canton:

References


Notes and References

  1. Web site: es . Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP . Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica . 26 September 2020 . 19 March 2019.
  2. Book: es . División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica. 8 March 2017. Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional. 978-9977-58-477-5.
  3. Web site: Municipalidad de Escazú, Costa Rica – Reseña Histórica. escazu.go.cr. 20 December 2015.
  4. Book: Hernández . Hermógenes . Costa Rica: evolución territorial y principales censos de población 1502 - 1984 . 1985 . Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia . San José . 9977-64-243-5 . 164–173 . 1 . 5 October 2020 . es.
  5. Book: Metal . Roots . The Witches of Escazú and Other Jewish Fairytales . 2021 . 979-8-9851054-0-7 . 14-15.
  6. Web site: Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica . 2024-06-20 . División Territorial Administrativa, 2024 – Totales de Provincias, Cantones y Distritos de Costa Rica . Administrative Territorial Division, 2024 – Totals of Provinces, Cantons and Districts of Costa Rica . 2024-07-16 . es . PDF.
  7. Web site: Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica . Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica . 13 May 2024 . Código Municipal . Municipal Code . 21 July 2024 . Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica . es.
  8. Web site: Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones . Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica . 21 February 2024 . N.° 1658-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho. . 21 July 2024 . es.
  9. Web site: Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones . Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica . Resoluciones declaratorias de elección . 21 July 2024 . Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones . es.
  10. Web site: Concejo Municipal de Escazú . 13 May 2024 . ACTA 02-2024 Sesión Ordinaria 02 . 21 July 2024 . es.
  11. Web site: Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones . Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica . 12 February 2024 . N.° 2218-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de regidurías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho. . 21 July 2024 . es.
  12. Web site: División Territorial Administrativa de Costa Rica . es . Instituto de Fomento y Asesoria Municipal (IFAM) . May 5, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150802162747/http://www.ifam.go.cr/PaginaIFAM/ifams/Descargas/CDI/Legal/Divisi%C3%B3n%20Territorial%20CR%20%20Publicado%20en%20La%20Gaceta%2026%20mayo%202009.pdf . August 2, 2015 .
  13. Web site: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos . National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica . 2023 . Resultados Estimacion de Poblacion y Vivienda 2022 . 2022 Population and Housing Estimate Results . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604233425/https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx . 2024-06-04 . 2024-04-21 . es . XLSX.
  14. Web site: es . Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito . Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos . 26 September 2020.
  15. Web site: Sistema Nacional de Información y Registro Único de Beneficiarios del Estado . Escuela de Estadística de la Universidad de Costa Rica . University of Costa Rica . Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo . United Nations Development Programme . 9 June 2023 . Atlas de Desarrollo Humano Cantonal en Costa Rica, 2022 . 21 July 2024.