Quesada, San Carlos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quesada
District
Central park of Ciudad Quesada
Quesada Location in Costa Rica
Country	Costa Rica
Province	Alajuela
Canton	San Carlos
Area
• Total	144 km2 (56 sq mi)
Elevation	656 m (2,152 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	42,060
• Density	292.1/km2 (756.5/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−06:00
Postal code	21001
Climate	Af

Quesada is a special area called a district in Costa Rica. It is part of the San Carlos canton, which is like a county. This canton is located in the Alajuela province.

Quesada is the main city of the San Carlos canton. Its official name is Ciudad Quesada. However, many people just call it San Carlos. It is also the biggest city in the San Carlos canton. This city is very important for the area's economy and politics. It especially helps with farming and making dairy products. Quesada and its nearby areas produce about 65% of all the milk in Costa Rica!

Geography of Quesada

Quesada covers an area of 144 square kilometers. It is located 656 meters above sea level. The city sits at the bottom of the Central Mountain Range. This range is on the southern edge of the San Carlos Plain. The San Carlos Plain is a large flat area in northern Costa Rica. It is part of the land that slopes down towards the Caribbean Sea.

Quesada is about 79 kilometers northwest of Alajuela, the capital city of the province. It is also about 90.9 kilometers from San José, which is the capital city of Costa Rica.

History of Quesada

The city of Quesada had a different name when it was first settled. It was first called La Unión. Later, its name was changed to Villa Quesada. On July 8, 1953, a law officially gave Villa Quesada the title of "Ciudad," which means "City."

Population of Quesada

According to the 2011 census, Quesada had a population of 42,060 people.

Getting Around Quesada

Road Connections

Several important roads connect Quesada to other places. These roads help people and goods move in and out of the district.

• National Route 140
• National Route 141
• National Route 748

Economy and Business in Quesada

Quesada is a very important business hub. It supports farming and ranching in the areas around it. The city is well-known for its leather products. It also produces a lot of dairy items. Quesada has some big factories that work with farm products.

The city is home to facilities of Costa Rica's largest dairy cooperative. This cooperative makes cheese and powdered milk. They also have a research and development center there.

Tourism and Fun

There are many hot springs in the Quesada area. Some of these hot springs have become resorts. They attract both Costa Rican people and tourists from other countries.

Cool Places to Visit Nearby

Zoológico La Marina is a special zoo near Quesada. It is a private, non-profit zoo run by the Alfaro family. The zoo is built on five hectares of their cattle ranch. It has over 450 different kinds of animals and birds. Most of these animals were taken by the government from people who owned them illegally. The zoo also has a successful program to help tapirs. Tapirs are animals that are becoming endangered. The zoo is 11 kilometers northeast of Ciudad Quesada. You can find it on the road to Aguas Zarcas.

Sports in Quesada

The main football (soccer) club in Quesada is A.D. San Carlos. This team has played for over 25 years in the Costa Rican Primera División, which is the top football league in Costa Rica. They play their home games at the Estadio Carlos Ugalde Álvarez stadium.

See also

In Spanish: Quesada (Costa Rica) para niños