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Cartago (canton)

Coordinates: 9°47′20″N 83°55′34″W / 9.7889852°N 83.9261136°W / 9.7889852; -83.9261136
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Cartago
Canton
View of central Cartago in 2024
Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels
Santiago Apóstol Parish Ruins
José Rafael "Fello" Meza Stadium
Old Durán Sanatorium
Interior of the Basilica
Lankester Botanical Garden
Flag of Cartago
Flag
Coat of arms of Cartago
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Fide et pace (Latin)
"Faith and Peace"
Map
Cartago canton
Cartago canton location in Costa Rica
Cartago canton location in Costa Rica
Cartago
Cartago canton location in Costa Rica
Coordinates: 9°47′20″N 83°55′34″W / 9.7889852°N 83.9261136°W / 9.7889852; -83.9261136
Country Costa Rica
ProvinceCartago
Creation23 June 1563 (City)
7 December 1848 (Canton)
Head cityOriental
Districts
Districts
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • BodyMunicipalidad de Cartago
 • MayorMario Redondo Poveda (PAY)
Area
 • Total
278.66 km2 (107.59 sq mi)
Elevation
1,575 m (5,167 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
147,898
 • Estimate 
(2022)
165,417
 • Density530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Cartaginés (m), Cartaginesa (f)
Time zoneUTC−06:00
Canton code301
Websitewww.muni-carta.go.cr

Cartago is a canton in the Cartago province of Costa Rica, with an estimated population of 165,417 as of 2022. It ranks as the fifth-most populous canton in the country and is the 42nd largest by area. Cartago is bordered by Desamparados and El Guarco to the south, Goicoechea and Vázquez de Coronado to the north, Oreamuno and Paraíso to the east, and Montes de Oca, La Unión, and Desamparados to the west.

The administrative and historical center of the canton is the City of Cartago, which comprises the Oriental and Occidental districts, rather than being a single district.[1][2] Founded in 1563 by Spanish conqueror Juan Vásquez de Coronado, Cartago is the second-oldest surviving city in Costa Rica, after Espíritu Santo de Esparza, which was established in 1557. It served as the colonial capital of Costa Rica from 1563 until 1823, after the Ochomogo War. Following the amendments to the Constitution of 1847, the canton itself was officially established as a municipal administrative division on 7 December 1848 by law N° 36.[3]

History

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Geography

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Cartago covers an area of 278.66 km² (107.59 sq mi)[4] and has a mean elevation of 1,575 m (5,167 ft).[1]

The canton is shaped like a T, extending southeast from its capital city to encompass a narrow strip of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Talamanca Mountain Range). This geographic configuration includes portions of the Pan-American Highway, making Cartago an important transit hub. The varied elevation and diverse landscapes contribute to the canton's natural diversity, which includes valleys, mountains, and fertile plains ideal for agriculture.

Government

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Mayor

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Under the Municipal Code of 1998, which regulates local government in Costa Rica, mayors and vice mayors are democratically elected every four years on a joint ticket by the canton's residents.[5]

Following the 2024 municipal elections, Mario Redondo Poveda was re-elected as mayor of Cartago, securing 43.51% of the vote. He was joined by Silvia María Navarro Gómez as first vice mayor and Marco Andrés Brenes Tinoco as second vice mayor, all serving for the term from 2024 to 2028.[6]

Mayors of Cartago since the 2002 elections[7]
Period Name Party
2002–2006 Harold Humberto Góngora Fuentes[a] PUSC
2006–2010 Rolando Alberto Rodríguez Brenes PLN
2010–2016
2016–2020
2020–2024 Mario Redondo Poveda ADC
2024–2028 PAY

Municipal Council

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Like the mayor and vice mayors, all members of the Municipal Council (known as regidores) are elected every four years through a closed list system, though on a separate ballot from the canton's executive officials. The Cartago Municipal Council consists of nine seats, held by regidores and their substitutes. Substitutes can participate in meetings but do not have voting rights unless the primary regidor (regidor propietario) is absent.[5]

The current president of the Municipal Council is Alonso Picado Chacón, a member of the Partido Actuemos Ya (Let's Act Now Party). The council's composition for the 2024–2028 term is as follows:

Current composition of the Municipal Council of Cartago after the 2024 municipal elections[8]
Political parties in the Municipal Council of Cartago
Political party Regidores
№ Primary Substitute
Let's Act Now Party (PAY) 4 Alonso Picado Chacón(P) Roberto Carlos Solano Ortega
Franci Noheli Camacho Vargas Mónica Machado Barquero
Andrés Damián Zúñiga Orozco Jorge Armando Brenes Calderón
Grettel Quesada Moya Natalia Isabel Serrano Redondo
National Liberation Party (PLN) 3 Jonathan Arce Moya Braulio José Martínez Rojas
Marcela Quesada Cerdas Stephannie Melissa Meneses Quirós
Caleb Andrés Pichardo Aguilar Luis Martín Martínez Rojas
National Democratic Agenda (ADN) 1 Marvin Alvarado Méndez Manuel Enrique González Espinoza
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) 1 Alberto Acevedo Gutiérrez Armando José Canno Díaz

Districts

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Districts of Cartago

The canton of Cartago is subdivided into the following districts:

  1. Oriental
  2. Occidental
  3. Carmen
  4. San Nicolás
  5. Aguacaliente
  6. Guadalupe
  7. Corralillo
  8. Tierra Blanca
  9. Dulce Nombre
  10. Llano Grande
  11. Quebradilla

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.±% p.a.
186416,780—    
188320,398+1.03%
189225,898+2.69%
192726,909+0.11%
195030,763+0.58%
196346,722+3.27%
197365,310+3.41%
198487,125+2.65%
2000132,057+2.63%
2011147,898+1.04%
2022165,417+1.02%
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos[9]
Centro Centroamericano de Población[10]

Cartago had a population of 165,417 inhabitants in 2022, up from 147,898 people at the time of the 2011 census.[11][12]

In 2022, Cartago had a Human Development Index of 0.791, the 3rd highest in its province, behind El Guarco and La Unión, and 18th in the country.[13]

Transportation

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Road transportation

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The canton is covered by the following road routes:

Rail transportation

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The Interurbano Line operated by Incofer goes through this canton.

Notes

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  1. ^ Also legally named Carlos Humberto Góngora Fuentes.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP". Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (in Spanish). 19 March 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. ^ División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica (PDF) (in Spanish). Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional. 8 March 2017. ISBN 978-9977-58-477-5.
  3. ^ Hernández, Hermógenes (1985). Costa Rica: evolución territorial y principales censos de población 1502 - 1984 (in Spanish) (1 ed.). San José: Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia. pp. 164–173. ISBN 9977-64-243-5. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. ^ Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica (20 June 2024). "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] (PDF) (in Spanish).
  5. ^ a b Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica (13 May 2024). "Código Municipal" [Municipal Code]. Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (in Spanish).
  6. ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (8 March 2024). "N.° 2157-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de Cartago, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho" (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  7. ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. "Resoluciones declaratorias de elección". Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  8. ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (12 March 2024). "N.° 2220-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de regidurías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de Cartago, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho" (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos" (in Spanish).
  10. ^ Centro Centroamericano de Población de la Universidad de Costa Rica. "Sistema de Consulta a Bases de Datos Estadísticas" (in Spanish).
  11. ^ Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (July 2023). Estimación de Población y Vivienda 2022 : Resultados Generales [2022 Population and Housing Estimate : General Results] (PDF) (in Spanish). ISBN 9789930525753. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito". Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  13. ^ Sistema Nacional de Información y Registro Único de Beneficiarios del Estado; Escuela de Estadística de la Universidad de Costa Rica; Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (9 June 2023). "Atlas de Desarrollo Humano Cantonal en Costa Rica, 2022". Retrieved 31 July 2024.
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