Nicoya

Nicoya is a district and head city of the Nicoya canton, in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica, located on the Nicoya Peninsula.[2][3] It is one of the country's most important tourist zones; it serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks.

For other uses, see Nicoya (disambiguation).
Nicoya
District
Nicoya
Location in Costa Rica
Coordinates: 10.1061593°N 85.486153°W / 10.1061593; -85.486153
Country Costa Rica
ProvinceGuanacaste Province
CantonNicoya Canton
Founded1523
Joined Republic of Costa Rica1824-1825
Government
 • MayorEduardo Gutiérrez Rosales
Area
 • Total310.61 km2 (119.93 sq mi)
Elevation
123 m (404 ft)
Highest elevation123 m (404 ft)
Lowest elevation3 m (10 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total24,833
 • Density80/km2 (210/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−06:00
Postal code
50201

Geography

Nicoya has an area of 310.61 km²[4] and an elevation of 123 metres.[2]

Locations
  • Barrios: Los Ángeles, Barro Negro, Cananga, Carmen, Chorotega, Guadalupe, Granja, San Martín, Santa Lucía, Virginia
  • Poblados: Cabeceras, Caimital, Carreta, Casitas, Cerro Negro, Cerro Redondo, Cola de Gallo, Cuesta, Cuesta Buenos Aires, Curime, Chivo, Dulce Nombre, Esperanza Norte, Estrella, Gamalotal, Garcimuñóz, Guaitil, Guastomatal, Guineas, Hondores, Jobo, Juan Díaz, Lajas, Loma Caucela, Miramar (northwest), Nambí, Oriente, Los Planes, Pedernal, Picudas, Pilahonda, Pilas, Pilas Blancas, Piragua, Ponedero, Quirimán, Quirimancito, Sabana Grande, Santa Ana, Sitio Botija, Tierra Blanca, Tres Quebradas, Varillas (Zapotillo), Virginia, Zompopa

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1883769—
19274,215—
195010,693153.7%
196320,55692.2%
197320,9151.7%
198421,4552.6%
200020,945−2.4%
201124,83318.6%

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos[5]
Centro Centroamericano de Población[6]

For the 2011 census, Nicoya had a population of 24,833 inhabitants. [7]

In early 2006, a group of researchers led by adventure writer Dan Buettner and supported by National Geographic Magazine, the National Institute on Aging, and Allianz Healthcare, designated Nicoya as a Blue Zone. This designation is granted to global regions that are characterized by the longest life expectancies. Among the ideal Nicoyan lifestyle characteristics cited by the research were the water's high calcium and magnesium content, intense daily physical activity, year-long fruit consumption, and close inter-generational relationships.

Economy

As of 1850, Nicoya harvested pearls for exportation.[8]

Transportation

Road transportation

The district is covered by the following road routes:

Route 21 is the main road serving Nicoya, connecting the city with Liberia (76 km, north-bound). On the opposite way, Route 21 also connects Nicoya to the rest of Nicoya Peninsula, including Pueblo Viejo (exit to Route 18, and then connecting to Route 1), on the main way to San José (204 km vía Route 1).

Airports

Nicoya has also an airport for domestic flights with no current scheduled services.

Arts and culture

The town was built in an old colonial style, in the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste. Agriculture and cattle form the backbone of the city's economy, as well as the province which surrounds it.

Governance

While the town elected 61-year-old Lorenzo Rosales Vargas[1] as mayor on December 3, 2006, he was only able to serve for about a year before quitting due to health reasons. Since May 5, 2008 Eduardo Gutiérrez Rosales has been holding the office as Nicoya's first supply mayor. They are both members of the National Liberation Party (PLN).[9]

Sports

A.D. Guanacasteca[10] is the city's major football team, having spent several years in the Costa Rican Primera División. They sold their licence and were moved away from Nicoya to become Brujas de Escazú in 2004. They were later reformed and play their home games in the Estadio Chorotega.

Climate

This area typically has a pronounced dry season. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Nicoya has a tropical savanna climate, abbreviated "Aw" on climate maps.[11]

Education
  • Liceo de Nicoya Was founded in 1956. It's an academic high school, and it provides education to the whole canton of Nicoya.

References
  1. "Nicoya". Costa Rica 2021. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  2. "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.
  3. 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.
  4. "Área en kilómetros cuadrados, según provincia, cantón y distrito administrativo". Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  5. "Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos" (in Spanish).
  6. "Sistema de Consulta de a Bases de Datos Estadísticas". Centro Centroamericano de Población (in Spanish).
  7. "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.
  8. Baily, John (1850). Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. London: Trelawney Saunders. p. 181.
  9. Oliver Pérez (May 6, 2008). "Renunció alcalde de Municipalidad de Nicoya". La Nación. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  10. Liberia le celebra a su equipo Archived 2015-02-21 at the Wayback Machine - UNAFUT (in Spanish)
  11. Climate Summary for Nicoya, Costa Rica
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