San José, Costa Rica

This article is about the capital city of Costa Rica. For other uses, see San José.

San José, Costa Rica
Morazán Park, in San José Downtown
Nickname:  Chepe
Country	Costa Rica
Province	San José
Canton	San José
Government
• Mayor	Johnny Araya Monge
Elevation	1,156.89 m (3,795.58 ft)
Population  (July, 2005)
• Total	340,894 (canton proper)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
Website	http://www.msj.co.cr

San José is the capital and largest city of the nation of Costa Rica. It is also the capital of the San José Province. San José is located in the center of the country at 9°56′N 84°5′W; it is on a mountain plateau at an elevation of about 1,170 meters (3,839 feet) above sea level.

According to the 2000 census, the city had a population of 309,672 people in San José Canton: the latter half of the 20th century was a period of rapid growth for the city, considering that in 1950 its population was a mere 86,900. The metropolitan area of San José exceeds the canton limits and surpasses one million inhabitants.

San José was a small village of little significance until 1824. In that year, Costa Rica's first elected head of state, liberal Juan Mora Fernández, decided to move the government of Costa Rica from the old Spanish colonial capital of Cartago and make a fresh start with a new city. This was a time of much optimism in the newly independent nation of Central America, of which Costa Rica was at that time a state (see: History of Central America). The new capital of San José grew rapidly, extending into the Central Valley. Because of its late 18th century origin, San José has little of the Spanish colonial architecture common in most other Latin American capitals. On August 9th, 1884, San Jose became the first city in Latin America illuminated by electric energy.

The University of Costa Rica was established here in 1843, in that time with the name of "University of Santo Tomás". San José also serves as the headquarters of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The city is served by Juan Santamaría International Airport, 23 km west of downtown, near Alajuela.

File:San José, Costa Rica (2).JPG

A view of San José skyline, seen from Children's Museum in downtown San José

Important places in the city include the Banco Central de Costa Rica building, the Banco Nacional building (much taller than other buildings nearby, giving the city its particular skyline), La Sabana Metropolitan Park, Avenida Central (a pedestrian thoroughfare and one of the major commercial areas in the city). The Central Park and the Plaza de la Cultura are visited by thousands of workers and tourists every day. The Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (National Theatre of Costa Rica), Melico Salazar Theater, and the Cathedral are other landmarks in the central area. In the south, the Clínica Bíblica (a private hospital) and the Pacific Train Station are important buildings.

Climate

San José City lies in the Torrid Zone, like the rest of the country, but its elevation gives it a mild climate. The temperature ranges between 18 °C and 26 °C. The rainy season is from April to late November but cloudiness and rainfall can occur during the dry season. Relative humidity tends to range between 60% and 90%.

Nightlife

There are numerous bars around San José, with some major nightlife centres:

• El Pueblo is a mix of more than 50 bars, clubs, restaurants, art galleries and shops. Lining the picturesque cobblestone streets within walking distance of several hotels and resorts, it is a lively place from 9 p.m. until dawn. Caters to many tourists.
• A street known as the Calle de la Amargura in San Pedro near the University of Costa Rica, with a wide selection of bars, restaurants and discos. Its proximity to the University and its young, economical inactive students makes this area offer food and drinks for relatively low prices. But beware, pickpockets and low-level criminals roam this place.
• Neighbourhoods around Heredia have a lot of bars and places to go at night.
• The cantons of Escazú and Santa Ana offer many options and quality places, though sometimes at inflated prices.
• There are a lot of spots similar to red-light districts around the city and in the San José Metropolitan Area, where the adult entertainment business is growing.

Although prostitution is legal in Costa Rica, child prostitution is punished to the most severe extent of the law. This is regularly and endlessly reported by the local press and television. It is also covered in the annual reports of the U. S. State Department regarding prostitution and the international trafficking of minors. Government statistics prove that the problem is prevalently domestic in origin, but regardless this has been ignored by foreign governments that have blacklisted Costa Rica as a haven for paedophiles. However the government deals harshly with those criminals they arrest. The legal system is slow in acting thus someone arrested for any crime may spend months if not years in jail before coming in front of the court.

There are a large number of small establishments in San Jose catering to locals seeking prostitutes. A small number of hotels might be tolerant with guests bringing in prostitutes but all are vigilant in protecting themselves and guests from entering with minors through verifying identification (such as checking of passports or national identification cards).

Crime

In recent years, San José has suffered a growing problem with crime, due partly to population growth in the greater metropolitan area and limited economic opportunities. Tourists are frequently targeted and it is advisable to use taxis even for extremely short distances. Visitors to the heart of San Jose should pay particular attention due to lax policing and the presence of gangs, some of which have operated with impunity for years. The presence of heavily armed guards around stores is a common occurrence as policing is poor.

Tourists are advised to carry only as much cash as is required and to leave credit cards in a safe at their hotel.

Attractions

The National Theater and the Melico Salazar offer hectic calendars of cultural activities, featuring theater and dance groups and orchestra music throughout the year.

There are some cafés in the downtown area, in the Central Mail building, The National Theater and the Melico Salazar, where national coffee is prepared and served in typical Costa Rican ways.

There are many museums and other attractions offering alternative ways of exploring the city. One of these is the Gold Museum, which offers a rare look at various gold artefacts of the ancient Latin American civilizations. An interesting attraction for the less adventurous is the Lankester Botanical Gardens just outside of San José.

External links

• [just_me23_@hotmail.com] (contact me)
• San Jose, Costa Rica Travel Guide, Powered by Wikitravel.
• Municipalidad de San José. Mayor of San José's Office
• San José Metropolitano. Web site with information about San José's Metropolitan Area
• Infoweb.co.cr. Galería San José. Some pictures of the city
• Info San José, CR. Information about the city. Includes news, events, a tourist guide, forums, etc.