Puntarenas (canton)


Puntarenas is the first canton in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 1,842.33 km², and has a population of 126,515. The provincial capital is the city of Puntarenas.

Geography

The canton includes areas on both sides of the Gulf of Nicoya. From the western coastline, the canton ranges eastward into the Cordillera de Tilarán to include the Monteverde region. The southern portion of the Nicoya Peninsula is also in the canton, including the popular tourist areas of Tambor, Montezuma and Malpais.
The canton of Puntarenas is subdivided into 16 distritos :
  1. Puntarenas
  2. Pitahaya
  3. Chomes
  4. Lepanto
  5. Paquera
  6. Manzanillo
  7. Guacimal
  8. Barranca
  9. Monteverde
  10. Isla del Coco
  11. Cóbano
  12. Chacarita
  13. Isla Chira
  14. Acapulco
  15. El Roble
  16. Arancibia

    History

Puntarenas was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated 7 December 1848.