Area 553.7 km² Capital Santiago de Puriscal | Founded 7 August 1868 | |
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Puriscal is the 4th canton (or "county") in the province of San José, Costa Rica. In Spanish, a "puriscal" is the flower of the common bean. The capital city of the canton is Santiago (de Puriscal).
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Map of San Jos%C3%A9, Puriscal, Costa Rica
The canton of Puriscal covers an area of 553.66 km²; the Río Chucás delineates the canton's northernmost boundary, while the Río Chires marks its far southern border, with the canton of Parrita in Puntarenas Province. Puriscal includes a major portion of the Coastal Mountain Range, however the canton is landlocked, in that it does not have direct ocean access.
The canton has a population of 31,202. Only 18% of the canton's population live in urban areas. Among its inhabitants, 20.2% are under 10 years old and 7.4% are over 65.
Districts
The canton of Puriscal is subdivided into nine districts (distritos):
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of the canton of Puriscal in the province of San José in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito (district) that includes the city. The district of Santiago covers an area of 34.58 km², and has a population of 11,697.
The city lies at an elevation of 1,105 metres above sea level in the coastal mountain range, 42 km southwest of the national capital city of San José and 77 km north of the city of Parrita on the Pacific coast.
The old cathedral was built by Fr. Juan Cortez de Paja who took a vow of celibacy after an Indian Princess died from Influenza that she had caught from him. On the centennial of her death an earthquake destroyed the edifice.
History
The canton or Puriscal was established by a decree of August 7, 1868.