Alajuela () is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua to the north. It also borders the provinces of Heredia to the east, San José to the south, Puntarenas to the southwest, and Guanacaste to the west. As of 2011, the province had a population of 885,571. Alajuela is composed of 16 cantons, which are divided into 111 districts. It covers an area of 9,757.53 square kilometers.Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), 2001.
The provincial capital is Alajuela. Other large cities include Quesada, Aguas Zarcas, Naranjo, Zarcero, Orotina, Sarchí Norte, Upala, San Ramón, Grecia and Los Chiles.
Provincial history
Pre-Columbia and the arrival of the Spanish
Costa Rica has been inhabited for nearly 10,000 years, but little is known of its pre-Columbian history. Alajuela was occupied by several indigenous groups just before the arrival of the Spanish. Despite being between two major civilizations, indigenous groups sparsely populated the area.undefined: ISLS: Brief History of Costa Rica, Retrieved 13 May 2014 The Hueteres lived in the south of the territory, while the Botos, Guatusos, Tices and Catapas lived in the north. In the 15th century, most of the region of modern Alajuela was under the control of Garabito, an indigenous leader of whom little is known. Only the Botos, who lived in Alajuela's northern plains, resisted conquest until the early 1800s.
Starting in the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Central Valley from Guanacaste. The natives who survived epidemics and conquest were placed in the encomienda system of labor, which exploited natives and funneled money to the Spanish Crown. In 1574, the first reservation for natives was created at Santa Catalina, the Canton of Mateo.
Founding Alajuela
Because landholdings in Cartago, the colonial capital of the region, were already controlled by large encomiendas, many settlers began moving west in the mid-1600s. In 1657, Alajuela was mentioned for the first time in the writings of Juana de Vera y Sotomayor, a traveler who described an encomienda "on La Lajuela river". Before taking on the name of Alajuela, the area was known as Villahermosa.britannica.com: Alajuela (Costa Rica) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia, accessdate: Monday, 12 May 2014
Esteban Lorenzo de Tristán, Bishop of Nicaragua, Nicoya, and Costa Rica, tried organizing Catholic communities west of Heredia. In doing so, he inaugurated a small oratory to unite the scattered settlers. The oratory was centered in the village of "La Lajuela", between the Ciruelas and Alajuela rivers. Because of its creation, the city of Alajuela was officially founded on 12 October 1782. In 1790, the first official parish of Alajuela was established, led by the priest Manuel López del Corral. The creation of a parish brought more settlers to the region. Soon, they began moving further and further toward the edges of the Central Valley, founding Atenas in 1836, San Ramón in 1854, and Grecia in 1856. Soon, the cities of Naranjo, Zarcero, and Quesada were founded as well.
National independence
In 1823, during the First Costa Rican Civil War, Costa Rica was divided into two groups: the Imperialists, loyal to the First Mexican Empire, and the Republicans, who sought independence. For the most part, Alajuela and San José fought against the coup staged by the Republicans in Heredia and Cartago. The Alajuelan side won. Costa Rica left the Mexican Empire shortly before it dissolved. While Costa Rica was a member of the Federal Republic of Central America in the 1830s, the city of Alajuela was the nation's capital.
In 1831, Alajuelan folk hero Juan Santamaría was born. Santamaría was a peasant boy who volunteered as a drummer during the Campaign of 1856–1857. On 11 April 1856, Santamaría sacrificed himself to burn filibuster William Walker's stronghold at Santa Rosa, asking only that his mother be taken care of.
Settlement of the northern portion of Alajuela began in earnest only in the latter half of the 19th century. It did not reach grand proportions until the second half of the 20th century, owing mainly to difficult access. Much of the original colonization came from Nicaragua since numerous navigable rivers flow north from their origins in the cordilleras and empty into either Lake Nicaragua or the San Juan River. By 1850, the province had a population of approximately 15,540.
20th century
On 16 February 1921, Pope Benedict XV issued a papal bull that reorganized Alajuela into an Ecclesiastic Province run by the incumbents of two new positions: the Archbishop of Alajuela and the Apostolic Vicar of Limón.
A seminal event in Alajuela's history was the 1968 eruption of Volcán Arenal. Residents previously referred to it as Mount Arenal. In the years before the eruption, residents reported rising groundwater temperatures and slight tremors. Beginning on 28 July 1969, residents of surrounding towns reported constant tremors. The eruptions began on 29 July, spewing ash into the neighboring provinces and launching boulders into the sky. The initial explosions were so strong that three craters were instantaneously created. The cities of Tabacón, Pueblo Nuevo, and San Luís were buried, killing 87 people. Crops were destroyed, and livestock killed.
In 1979, Lake Arenal was created as the result of the construction of a hydroelectric dam by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, Costa Rica's national electric company. The old cities of Tabacón and Tronadora were submerged, and residents moved to the new town of Tabacón at its current location, although the church's steeple can still be seen. The dam produces 17% of the country's electricity.
Geography
The province is located in the North Central Plains and borders Nicaragua (Departamento de Rivas, Departamento del Río San Juan) to the north and the Costa Rican provinces of Heredia to the east, San José to the south, and Guanacaste to the west. Alajuela's San Carlos (canton) is larger than the provinces of Heredia and Cartago. It is the largest canton in Costa Rica, occupying 34.32% of the provincial territory and 6.55% of the national territory.
Mountains
The Central Mountain Range (Cordillera Central de Costa Rica) passes through the province's borders, as do the Tilarán and Guanacaste ranges. This province is also home to the two most active Costa Rican Volcanoes: Poás Volcano and the Arenal Volcano.
Mountain Peaks of Alajuela Province Name Height (feet) Height (meters) Notes Poás Volcano 8,871 2,704 active stratovolcano with one of the most acidic lakes in the world Cerro Barquero 6,944 2,117 Cerro Camacho 6,672 2,034 Cerro Platanar 6,572 2,003unmonitored, active stratovolcano Cerro La Barranca 5,882 1,696 Volcán Arenal 5,479 1,670 active stratovolcano, deadly 1968 eruption began an active period Cerro Porvenir 4,734 1,443 active stratovolcanoFacts & Information / VolcanoDiscovery: Platanar Volcano, Costa Rica – facts & information / VolcanoDiscovery:, Retrieved 15 May 2014 Cerro Espíritu Santo 3,983 1,214 home of abandoned church and school near the peak Cerro Chato 3,740 1,140 inactive volcano on the southeast side of Arenal, location of Crater Lake Cerro Nispero 1,110 338
Rivers
In the northern plains, the San Carlos and Frío rivers flow into the San Juan River basin, which separates Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The Tárcoles River, which flows to the Gulf of Nicoya, is known for its crocodile population.
Major Rivers in Alajuela Province Name Notes Río Grande de Tárcoles 111 kilometers long, the most polluted river in Costa Rica Río Frío flows north to Lake Nicaragua Río San Juan part of the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, tributaries include Río Poco Sol, Río Carlos River Río San Carlos 142 km long, a major tributary of the Rio San Juan Río Segundo flows through the municipality of Alajuela Río Burío runs through La Fortuna, tributaries include Quebrada Cristalina Río San Martin runs south through Ciudad Quesada Peñas Blancas flows southwest in the Central Valley, tributaries include Río Burro Río San Pedro flows north, tributaries include Río Zapote, Río La Vieja, Río Peaje Virilla flows west, site of El Virilla train accident Río Poas flows south Aguas Zarcas Tres Amigos San Lorenzo Arenal Jesús María Río Cuarto
Waterfalls Cataratas del Toro La Paz La Fortuna Los Chorros
Environment
Although several ecosystems exist in the province, the Llanuras del Norte (Northern Plains) and the Central Valley highlands are two distinct divisions. The Llanuras del Norte stretch across several provinces, while the Central Valley highlands encompass the middle region of the country. Alajuela's natural environment is one of the primary reasons tourists visit the country.
Flora and fauna
Costa Rica is a biodiversity hotspot, and Alajuela is no exception. Thousands of species are native to the province.
Nearly a third of the country's 1,400 types of orchids can be found in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which straddles the border between Alajuela and Guanacaste.Monteverde Costa Rica Orchids Garden Photo Gallery. Monteverdeinfo.com. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
Birds such as the quetzal, scarlet macaw, hummingbird, woodpecker, kingfisher, toucan, and three-wattled bellbird are native to Alajuela. There are many species of bats as well, like the spectral bat, Honduran white bat, and the thumbless bat. Many insect species, including butterflies and moths, are native to Alajuela. Because of this, the Butterfly Farm in La Garita was established to further scientific research into the different species.
The white-headed capuchin is native to the forests of the province, as is the mantled howler. Other mammals native to Alajuela include Baird's tapir, the giant anteater, the silky anteater, margays, ocelots, and other wild cats. Jaguars, while rarely seen, also inhabit the province's national parks. Deer are native to the highlands and the Northern Plains.
Machaca and bass are two fish found throughout the province. In addition, there are many other species of invertebrates and amphibians.
Climate
Temperature extremes in Alajuela range from 36.6 Fahrenheit (2.6 Celsius) to 95.6 Fahrenheit (35.2 Celsius). The year is generally split into two seasons: the dry season, or summer, from December to April, and the rainy season, or winter, from May to November. The winter corresponds with the Atlantic hurricane season, so rain can be a daily part of Alajuelan life. The highlands and the Northern Plains can vary significantly in temperature and precipitation.
Economy
Agriculture
The base of Alajuela's economy remains agricultural production. In the southern highlands of the province, tropical ornamentals, coffee, tubers, and green vegetables are the major crops. Rice, corn, pineapple, bananas, and sugarcane are important crops in the north and northeast. Alajuela ranks first nationwide in national coffee production and national sugar cane production. Many of the agricultural products are exported overseas.
This region has extensive pastoral areas, especially in the San Carlos area, where a significant cattle ranching sector is located. The cattle industry has spawned the production of leather, milk, dairy products, and beef. The municipality of Upala serves as a supply center for cattle ranchers north of the province. Naranjo, so named because "Naranjo" means orange in Spanish, produces oranges largely for domestic consumption. For a short time in the 1800s, tobacco was a cash crop in the Palmares region, though production has since declined. There is growing small-scale organic farming industry in Alajuela.
Industry and commerce