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.
Nicoya | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
  Nicoya Location in Costa Rica | |
| Coordinates: 10°06′22″N 85°29′10″W / 10.1061593°N 85.486153°W | |
| Country |  Costa Rica |
| Province | Guanacaste Province |
| Canton | Nicoya Canton |
| Founded | 1523 |
| Joined Republic of Costa Rica | 1824-1825 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Eduardo Gutiérrez Rosales |
| Area | |
• Total | 310.61 km2 (119.93 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 123 m (404 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 123 m (404 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 24,833 |
| • Density | 80/km2 (210/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 |
| Postal code | 50201 |
Geography
editNicoya has an area of 310.61 km2[4] and an elevation of 123 metres.[2]
Locations
edit- 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
edit| Census | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1883 | 769 | — |
| 1927 | 4,215 | +3.94% |
| 1950 | 10,693 | +4.13% |
| 1963 | 20,556 | +5.16% |
| 1973 | 20,915 | +0.17% |
| 1984 | 21,455 | +0.23% |
| 2000 | 20,945 | −0.15% |
| 2011 | 24,833 | +1.56% |
| 2022 | 33,316 | +2.71% |
| Source: 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
editTransportation
editRoad transportation
editThe 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
editNicoya has also an airport for domestic flights with no current scheduled services.
Arts and culture
editThe 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
editWhile 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 for 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
editA.D. Guanacasteca[10] is the city's major football team, having spent several years in the Costa Rican Primera División. In 2004, they sold their license and were moved away from Nicoya to become Brujas F.C., but were reformed a year later. They currently play their home games at Estadio Chorotega.
Climate
editThis 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]
| Climate data for Nicoya | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 33.0 (91.4) |
34.2 (93.6) |
35.5 (95.9) |
35.9 (96.6) |
33.9 (93.0) |
32.3 (90.1) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.3 (90.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.8 (89.2) |
32.2 (90.0) |
33.2 (91.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
21.5 (70.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.2 (70.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 4.2 (0.17) |
7.7 (0.30) |
22.4 (0.88) |
62.1 (2.44) |
264.2 (10.40) |
310.4 (12.22) |
247.0 (9.72) |
305.9 (12.04) |
389.2 (15.32) |
391.4 (15.41) |
122.3 (4.81) |
21.4 (0.84) |
2,148.2 (84.55) |
| Average precipitation days | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 4.8 | 14.4 | 18.1 | 14.2 | 17.1 | 20.5 | 20.8 | 9.2 | 2.1 | 124.2 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization (temperatures 1961–1984, precipitation 1949–2003)[12] | |||||||||||||
Education
edit- Liceo de Nicoya was founded in 1956. It's an academic high school, and it provides education to the whole canton of Nicoya.[citation needed]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Nicoya". Costa Rica 2021. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Área en kilómetros cuadrados, según provincia, cantón y distrito administrativo". Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ "Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos" (in Spanish).
- ^ Centro Centroamericano de Población de la Universidad de Costa Rica. "Sistema de Consulta a Bases de Datos Estadísticas" (in Spanish).
- ^ "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.
- ^ Baily, John (1850). Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. London: Trelawney Saunders. p. 181.
- ^ Oliver Pérez (May 6, 2008). "Renunció alcalde de Municipalidad de Nicoya". La Nación. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ Liberia le celebra a su equipo Archived 2015-02-21 at the Wayback Machine - UNAFUT (in Spanish)
- ^ Climate Summary for Nicoya, Costa Rica
- ^ "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
Further reading
edit- Mora-Alvarado, Darner A.; Portuguez-Barquero, Carlos F.; Alfaro-Herrera, Nuria; Hernández-Miraulth, Michael; Mora-Alvarado, Darner A.; Portuguez-Barquero, Carlos F.; Alfaro-Herrera, Nuria; Hernández-Miraulth, Michael (September 2015). "Diferencias de dureza del agua y las tasas de longevidad en la Península de Nicoya y los otros distritos de Guanacaste" [Differences water harness and longevity rates in the Peninsula of Nicoya of Guanacaste and the other districts]. Revista Tecnología en Marcha (in Spanish). 28 (3): 3–14. doi:10.18845/tm.v28i3.2407.