Nicoya (canton)

Coordinates: 10°08′40″N 85°27′22″W / 10.14444°N 85.45611°W

Nicoya
Cantón
Location of Nicoya Canton in Guanacaste Province
Country	Costa Rica
Province	Guanacaste
Area
• Total	1,333.68 km^2 (514.94 sq mi)
Population (June 2013)
• Total	52,606
• Density	39/km^2 (100/sq mi)

Nicoya is the second canton in the province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 1,333.68 km²,^[1] and has a population of 52,606.^[2] Its capital city is also called Nicoya.

The Río Tempisque establishes the northeast boundary of the canton, which cuts through the midsection of the Nicoya Peninsula, touching the Gulf of Nicoya on the east before curving southward to the Pacific Ocean.

Districts

The canton of Nicoya is subdivided into seven districts (distritos):^[3]

District	Postal code	Alt. (m)	Area (km^2)	Pop. (2013)	Coordinates
Nicoya	50201	123	311.08	24,946	10°08′40″N 85°27′22″W / 10.14444°N 85.45611°W
	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
Mansión	50202	87	211.67	5,674	10°06′10″N 85°22′24″W / 10.10278°N 85.37333°W
	Poblados: Acoyapa, Boquete, Camarones, Guastomatal, Iguanita, Lapas, Limonal, Matambuguito, Matina, Mercedes, Monte Alto, Morote Norte, Nacaome, Obispo, Pital, Polvazales, Pueblo Viejo, Puente Guillermina, Puerto Jesús, Río Vueltas, San Joaquín, San Juan (part), Uvita (part), Vigía, Yerbabuena (part), Zapandí
San Antonio	50203	68	338.17	6,778	10°12′00″N 85°25′57″W / 10.20000°N 85.43250°W
	Barrios: Guayabal
	Poblados: Biscoyol, Bolsa, Boquete, Buenos Aires, Cañal, Carao, Cerro Mesas, Conchal, Corral de Piedra, Corralillo, Coyolar, Cuba, Cuesta Madroño, Chira, Flor, Florida, Guayabo, Loma Ayote, Matamba, México, Montañita, Monte Galán, Moracia, Ojo de Agua, Palos Negros, Piave, Piedras Blancas, Pozas, Pozo de Agua, Pueblo Nuevo, Puerto Humo, Rosario, San Lázaro, San Vicente, Silencio, Talolinga, Tamarindo, Zapote
Quebrada Honda	50204	23	106.93	2,539	10°11′13″N 85°17′57″W / 10.18694°N 85.29917°W
	Barrios: Tortuguero
	Poblados: Botija, Caballito, Embarcadero, Copal, Loma Bonita, Millal, Paraíso, Paso Guabo, Pochote, Puerto Moreno, Roblar, San Juan (part), Sombrero, Sonzapote, Tres Esquinas
Sámara	50205	3	109.51	4,105	09°52′56″N 85°31′47″W / 9.88222°N 85.52972°W
	Barrios: Matapalo, Mala Noche
	Poblados: Bajo Escondido, Barco Quebrado, Buenavista, Buenos Aires, Cambutes, Cangrejal, Cantarrana, Chinampas, Esterones, Galilea, Palmar, Panamá, Pavones, Playa Buenavista, Primavera, Pueblo Nuevo, Samaria, San Fernando, Santo Domingo, Taranta, Terciopelo, Torito
Nosara	50206	6	134.92	5,791	09°58′58″N 85°39′12″W / 9.98278°N 85.65333°W
	Poblados: Ángeles de Garza, Bijagua, Cabeceras de Garza, Coyoles, Cuesta Winch, Delicias, Esperanza Sur, Flores, Garza, Guiones, Ligia, Nosara, Playa Nosara, Playa Pelada, Portal, Río Montaña, San Juan, Santa Marta, Santa Teresa
Belén de Nosarita	50207	153	121.4	2,773	10°01′50″N 85°30′20″W / 10.03056°N 85.50556°W
	Poblados: Arcos, Balsal, Caimitalito, Cuajiniquil, Cuesta Grande, Chumburán, Juntas, Maquenco, Minas, Miramar Sureste, Naranjal, Naranjalito, Nosarita, Platanillo, Quebrada Bonita, Santa Elena (part), Zaragoza

History

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

On September 5, 2012, Nicoya was struck by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake, destroying houses in the canton.^[4][5]

See also

• Partido de Nicoya

References

1. Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), 2001.
2. Estadísticas Vitales 2013 - INEC
3. "División Territorial Administrativa de Costa Rica" (PDF) (in Spanish). Instituto de Fomento y Asesoria Municipal (IFAM). 5 May 2009.
4. "M7.6 - 12km ENE of Hojancha, Costa Rica". United States Geological Survey. September 5, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
5. Mata Blanco, Alonso (September 6, 2012). "Sismo Destruyó Viviendas en Varios Cantones de Guanacaste y Alajuela" [Earthquake Destroyed Homes in Several Cantons of Guanacaste and Alajuela]. La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved October 3, 2012.