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Alajuela Province facts for kids

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Province of Alajuela

Provincia de Alajuela
Province
Alajuela cathedral
Alajuela cathedral
Flag of Province of Alajuela
Flag
 Coat of arms of Province of Alajuela
Coat of arms
Location of the Province of Alajuela
Location of the Province of Alajuela
Country Costa Rica
Founded 12 October 1782
Capital city Alajuela
Area
 • Total 9,757.53 km2 (3,767.40 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total 848,146
 • Density 86.92220/km2 (225.12747/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Alajuelense
ISO 3166 code CR-A

Alajuela is a province of Costa Rica. It is in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua. The provincial capital is the city of Alajuela.

Location

The Alajuela province borders the provinces of Heredia to the east, San José to the south, Puntarenas to the southwest and Guanacaste to the west. Nicaragua is to the north of the province.

Nicaragua
Guanacaste Heredia
   Alajuela province    
Puntarenas San José

Geography

Alajuela is the third largest province of Costa Rica, after the Puntarenas and Guanacaste provinces, with an area of 9,757.53 km2 (3,767.40 sq mi).

The province is in the western part of the Central Valley and is crossed by the Cordillera Central ("Central mountain range) and the volcanic Cordillera de Guanacaste ("Guanacaste mountain range). In the northern part, along the border with Nicaragua, are the plains of the San Carlos and Frío rivers.

Two of the most active Costa Rican volcanoes are in this province: the Poás, 2,708 m (8,885 ft) high, and the Arenal, 1,630 m (5,350 ft) high.

Demographics

Iglesia San Mateo Alajuela Costa Rica
San Mateo Alajuela

The people of the province are known as Alajuelenses, both men and women.

The Alajuela province had a population, in 2011, of 848,146, for a population density of 86.9 inhabitants/km2. The canton of Alajuela, with 254,886 inhabitants, is the canton with more inhabitants.

Evolution of the population in Alajuela

Administrative divisions

The Alajuela province is divided in 15 cantons, which are divided into 113 Districts.

No. Canton Capital Districts Population
(2011)		 Area
(km²)		 Density
(Inh./km²)
1 Alajuela Alajuela 14 &&&&&&&&&0254886.&&&&&0254,886 &&&&&&&&&&&&0388.430000388.43 656.2
2 San Ramón San Ramón de los Palmares 13 &&&&&&&&&&080566.&&&&&080,566 &&&&&&&&&&&&0395.720000395.72 203.6
3 Grecia Grecia 8 &&&&&&&&&&076898.&&&&&076,898 &&&&&&&&&&&&0395.720000395.72 194.3
4 San Mateo San Mateo de Alajuela 4 &&&&&&&&&&&06136.&&&&&06,136 &&&&&&&&&&&&0125.900000125.90 48.7
5 Atenas Atenas 8 &&&&&&&&&&025460.&&&&&025,460 &&&&&&&&&&&&0127.190000127.19 200.2
6 Naranjo Naranjo de Alajuela 8 &&&&&&&&&&042713.&&&&&042,713 &&&&&&&&&&&&0126.620000126.62 337.3
7 Palmares Palmares de Alajuela 7 &&&&&&&&&&034716.&&&&&034,716 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&6000038.06 912.1
8 Poás San Pedro de Poás 5 &&&&&&&&&&029199.&&&&&029,199 &&&&&&&&&&&&&073.84000073.84 395.4
9 Orotina Orotina 5 &&&&&&&&&&020341.&&&&&020,341 &&&&&&&&&&&&0141.920000141.92 143.3
10 San Carlos Ciudad Quesada 13 &&&&&&&&&0163745.&&&&&0163,745 &&&&&&&&&&&03347.9800003,347.98 48.9
11 Zarcero Zarcero 7 &&&&&&&&&&012205.&&&&&012,205 &&&&&&&&&&&&0155.130000155.13 78.7
12 Valverde Vega Sarchí 5 &&&&&&&&&&018085.&&&&&018,085 &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.250000120.25 150.4
13 Upala Upala 8 &&&&&&&&&&043953.&&&&&043,953 &&&&&&&&&&&01580.6700001,580.67 27.8
14 Los Chiles Los Chiles 4 &&&&&&&&&&023735.&&&&&023,735 &&&&&&&&&&&01358.8600001,358.86 17.5
15 Guatuso San Rafael de Guatuso 4 &&&&&&&&&&015508.&&&&&015,508 &&&&&&&&&&&&0758.320000758.32 20.5

Economy

The main economic activity in the province is farming. In the southern part of the province, tropical ornamentals, coffee, tubers, and Leaf vegetables are the major crops. Toward the north and northeast, rice, corn, pineapple, bananas, and sugarcane are important crops.

There is also an important cattle raising industry in the province, mainly in the San Carlos canton.

Alajuela has attracted many export-orientated manufacturing companies, especially within the free trade zones around the municipality of Alajuela.

Gallery

Images for kids

  • Territorio tradicional guatuso

    Traditional indigenous territory of Guatusos

  • Maleku-hut

    Indigenous hut

  • Fotoveteranos

    Costa Rican veterans of the 1856 campaign, taken in 1895

  • 271tarcolesriver

    Río Grande de Tárcoles

  • Bauhinia blakeana (flower)

    Bauhinia blakeana

  • Fallas -Mamita Yunai -Trabajo, 1941

    Publicity art for Carlos Luis Fallas' "Mamita Yunai"

  • Metalchurchingreciacostarica

    Grecia's sheet metal church

  • Front of cathedral of St. Charles Borromeo in Ciudad Quesada

    Ciudad Quesada's art deco cathedral

  • Morera-Soto-lda

    Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium

  • AeropuertoJuanSantamaría

    Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría

  • Mapa de Costa Rica (1850)

    Map of Costa Rica (1850) showing the municipalities of Alajuela and Atenas

  • Ermita de El Llano de José Manuel Morera Cabezas

    The Plains Hermitage, Alajuela

  • Alajuela likeluis

    Cathedral of Alajuela and Central Park

  • P1060113 small

    Cathedral of Palmares

  • Iglesia Catholico de San Mateo

    Church in San Mateo de Alajuela

  • Zarcero. Costa Rica

    Zarcero church and topiary

  • Iglesia de Sarchí

    Sarchí Norte church

  • Plaza de Toros Palmares Costa Rica

    Bullfighting ring in Palmares

  • CRI 05 2008 Ruta 1 Autopista Gral Canas 2146

    General Cañas Highway

  • Lac Arenal Costa Rica Barrage

    Lake Arenal created by hydroelectric dam

  • Laguna azul, Rio Celeste, Parq Tenorio

    River Celeste in Upala

  • Ficus aurea (butresses)

    Ficus aurea (buttresses)

  • Arenal-Volcano

    Arenal Volcano

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Provincia de Alajuela para niños

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