Pérez Zeledón is the nineteenth canton of the province of San José in Costa Rica, located in the Brunca region.[1][2] The capital city of the canton is San Isidro de El General.
Pérez Zeledón | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Pezeta (P.Z.) | |
| Anthem: Himno Municipal de Pérez Zeledón | |
 Pérez Zeledón canton | |
  Pérez Zeledón Pérez Zeledón canton location in San José Province  Pérez Zeledón Pérez Zeledón canton location in Costa Rica | |
| Coordinates: 9°20′21″N 83°42′55″W / 9.3392039°N 83.7152394°W | |
| Country |  Costa Rica |
| Province | San José |
| Creation | 9 October 1931 |
| Head city | San Isidro de El General |
| Districts | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Municipalidad de Pérez Zeledón |
| • Mayor | Emmanuel Ceciliano Alfaro (PUSC) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,901.08 km2 (734.01 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 690 m (2,260 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 134,534 |
• Estimate (2022) | 156,917 |
| • Density | 71/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 |
| Canton code | 119 |
| Website | www |
The Río Savegre establishes the canton's boundaries on the northwest, the Río Guabo and a series of coastal mountain ranges on the southwest and south, and the peaks of the highest mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Talamanca Mountain Range) on the east. In the middle of the canton, the Río General, from which the canton's capital city takes its name, runs north to south.
History
editPérez Zeledón was created on 9 October 1931 by decree 31.[2] Originally with four initial districts: Ureña, El General, Daniel Flores, and Rivas, with Ureña being the capital.[3]
Early Costa Rican Settlements
editNear the end of the 19th century, between 1870 and 1899, quite a few families lived in El General valley. The hamlets (Spanish: Caseríos) of El General, Palmares, Rivas, and Ureña were further populated from 1900 onward.[3]
The Caserío area of Ureña grew significantly. By 1911, during Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno's administration, the Refuges of Ojo de Agua, El Cerro de la Muerte, and División were established. These refuges would further advance the growth of the region known today as Pérez Zeledón and El General Valley.[3]
Costa Rican Civil War
editSan Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón's capital, was awarded the recognition of Ciudad Mártir, regarding the civil war of 1948, as established by Decree Nº274.[4] This decree established official legal recognition of the city's participation in the civil war of 1948. A section of the decree states (in Spanish):
- la Junta Fundadora de la Segunda República, apreciando el noble esfuerzo y la valiosa contribución de San Isidro de El General, se siente obligada a hacer un público y oficial reconocimiento de tan loable conducta para que de ninguna manera quede ella relegada al olvido, sino que constantemente sea exaltada como merecen los grandes hechos dignos de vida eterna en los fastos nacionales.
In English, this would loosely translate into:
- The Founding Junta of the Second Republic, appreciating the noble effort and valuable contribution of San Isidro de El General, feels compelled to make a public and official recognition of such praiseworthy conduct that by no means be it relegated to oblivion, but rather constantly be exalted as great deeds merit worth of eternal life in the national splendor.
Pérez Zeledón was also the location of significant battles during the Costa Rican Civil War. The most notable battle was the Battle of San Isidro de El General. This battle was carried out at around 6:30 a.m. when 200 government forces engaged the revolutionaries at the city's central plaza. The fight was won by José Figueres Ferrer and his revolutionary forces, which secured the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica in rebel hands.[5]
Geography
editPérez Zeledón has an area of 1,901.08 km2 (734.01 sq mi)[6] and a mean elevation of 690 m (2,260 ft).[1]
Government
editMayor
editAccording to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, the canton's mayors are elected every four years.[7] As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the Social Christian Unity Party candidate, Emmanuel Ceciliano Alfaro, was elected mayor of the canton with 28.99% of the votes, with Rosibel Ramos Madrigal and Mario Esteban Saenz Mena as first and second vice mayors, respectively.[8]
| Period | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–2006 | Rosibel Ramos Madrigal |  PUSC
|
| 2006–2010 | ||
| 2010–2016 | Luis Mendieta Escudero |  PLN
|
| 2016–2020 | Jeffry Montoya Rodríguez | PUSC
|
| 2020–2024 | ||
| 2024–2028 | Emmanuel Ceciliano Alfaro |
Municipal Council
editLike the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called regidores) are elected every four years. Pérez Zeledón's Municipal Council has 9 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor (regidor propietario) is absent.[7] The current president of the Municipal Council is the Broad Front member, Andrea Herrera Chaves, with the National Liberation Party regidor, Edgar Mena Rodríguez, as vice president.[10] The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:
 | |||||
| Political parties in the Municipal Council of Pérez Zeledón | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political party | Regidores | ||||
| № | Owner | Substitute | |||
|
|
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | 3 | Runny Monge Zúñiga | Andrés Vega Solís | |
| Anaís Barrantes Mora | María Alejandra Arias Calvo | ||||
| Carlos Zúñiga Montero | Carlos Andrés Mora Navarro | ||||
|
Our Town Party (PNP) | 3 | Marvin Arias Retana | Álvaro Navarro Navarro | |
| Milena Elizondo Segura | Dignora Alvarado Roquett[a] | ||||
| Wilber Ureña Bonilla[b] | José Francisco Calderón Fernández | ||||
|
|
National Liberation Party (PLN) | 1 | Edgar Mena Rodríguez(VP) | Henry Alberto Mora Espinoza | |
|
Broad Front (FA) | 1 | Andrea Herrera Chaves(P) | Luz María Godínez Méndez | |
|
Social Democratic Progress Party (PSD) | 1 | María Josefa Fallas Ureña | Weslyn Dahianna Mena Ríos | |
Districts
editThe canton of Pérez Zeledón is subdivided into the following districts:
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 19,630 | — |
| 1963 | 47,319 | +7.00% |
| 1973 | 67,089 | +3.55% |
| 1984 | 82,370 | +1.88% |
| 2000 | 122,187 | +2.50% |
| 2011 | 134,534 | +0.88% |
| 2022 | 156,917 | +1.41% |
| Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos[12] Centro Centroamericano de Población[13] | ||
Pérez Zeledón had an estimated population of 156,917 people in 2022,[14] up from the 134,534 inhabitants it had at the time of the 2011 census.[15]
According to a publication by the United Nations Development Programme, Pérez Zeledón had a Human Development Index of 0.746.[16]
Economy
edit
The canton of Pérez Zeledón's economic development has been characterized mainly through agriculture, livestock, trade, industry, and tourism. One factor that has driven this economic development is the canton's unique geographic positioning, which makes it a sort of 'bridge' between Costa Rica's capital (San José) and the southern areas of the country, especially those that border [[[Panama|Panamá]].
Important agricultural activities:
- Sugar Cane cultivation
- Coffee
- Tiquizque cultivation
- Banana cultivation
- Blackberry cultivation
The first two products are the most important in the region.
Livestock activities are also economically relevant, with pigs and cattle being the most important. The latter is used for fattening and dairy.
Commercial activities have boomed in recent decades, mainly due to the establishment of credit unions, banks, local companies, media, and various other companies of the Central Valley (San José) setting up operations in the canton.
Tourism
editThe area's main attraction is its ecological diversity. Tourist sites in the area include the Chirripó National Park, one of the highest peaks in Central America and the Caribbean, at 3,820 meters above sea level.
Among other attractions are the journeys along the rapids.
Another prominent park in the area is the Parque Internacional La Amistad, literally 'The Friendship International Park'.
Education
edit
The first elementary school in Pérez Zeledón was established during Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra's government (1902-1906). It was called Escuela Mixta de Ureña. It was in the Ureña district, south of San Isidro de El General's central park. After the Costa Rican Civil War, the school was moved to a new building 100 meters past San Isidro de El General's main entrance. It currently serves under the name "Escuela 12 de Marzo", in honor of the start of the Costa Rican Civil War (which had just ended when the school was re-inaugurated at its current location).[17]
Transportation
editRoad transportation
editThe following road routes cover the canton:
National Route 2
National Route 242
National Route 243
National Route 244
National Route 321
National Route 322
National Route 323
National Route 325
National Route 326
National Route 327
National Route 328
National Route 329
National Route 330
National Route 331
National Route 332
National Route 333
National Route 334
National Route 335
Notable people
edit- Keylor Navas, football goalkeeper
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b c Administrator. "Historia Pérez Zeledón". Mpz.go.cr. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
- ^ "Decreto San Isidro de El General Ciudad Mártir – El Espíritu del 48". Elespiritudel48.org. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
- ^ "Comunicado del Cuartel General del ELN – El Espíritu del 48". Elespiritudel48.org. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
- ^ 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).
- ^ a b Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica (13 May 2024). "Código Municipal" [Municipal Code]. Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (in Spanish).
- ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (21 February 2024). "N.° 1658-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, 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 21 July 2024.
- ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. "Resoluciones declaratorias de elección". Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Municipalidad de Pérez Zeledón (18 June 2024). "Sesión Ordinaria 008-2024 Acta N° 008" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (12 February 2024). "N.° 2218-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de regidurías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, 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 21 July 2024.
- ^ "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).
- ^ 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 25 July 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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 25 July 2024.
- ^ "Escuela 12 de Marzo de 1948 - Circuito 01 Pérez Zeledón". Circuito01pz.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017.