Nicoya
District in Nicoya canton, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica
title: "Nicoya" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-established-in-1523", "blue-zones", "populated-places-in-guanacaste-province", "1523-establishments-in-the-spanish-empire"] description: "District in Nicoya canton, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica" topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicoya" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary District in Nicoya canton, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | Nicoya |
| settlement_type | District |
| image_skyline | Nicoya.JPG |
| imagesize | 200px |
| image_map | |
| pushpin_map | Costa Rica |
| pushpin_label_position | bottom |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Costa Rica |
| pushpin_mapsize | 200 |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Costa Rica |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Guanacaste Province |
| subdivision_type2 | Canton |
| subdivision_name2 | Nicoya Canton |
| leader_title | Mayor |
| leader_name | Eduardo Gutiérrez Rosales |
| leader_title1 | |
| established_title | Founded |
| established_date | 1523 |
| established_title2 | Joined Republic of Costa Rica |
| established_date2 | 1824-1825 |
| coordinates | |
| elevation_max_footnotes | |
| elevation_max_m | 123 |
| elevation_min_footnotes | |
| elevation_min_m | 3 |
| area_total_km2 | 310.61 |
| elevation_m | 123 |
| population_total | 24833 |
| population_as_of | 2011 |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| timezone1 | UTC−06:00 |
| postal_code_type | Postal code |
| postal_code | 50201 |
| :: |
| official_name = Nicoya | settlement_type = District | nickname = | motto = | image_skyline = Nicoya.JPG | imagesize = 200px | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_seal = | image_shield = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Costa Rica | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Costa Rica | pushpin_mapsize = 200 | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Costa Rica | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Guanacaste Province | subdivision_type2 = Canton | subdivision_name2 = Nicoya Canton | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Eduardo Gutiérrez Rosales | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1523 | established_title2 = Joined Republic of Costa Rica | established_date2 = 1824-1825 | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | coordinates = | elevation_max_footnotes = | elevation_max_m = 123 | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_min_footnotes = | elevation_min_m = 3 | elevation_min_ft = | blank_name = | blank_info = | website = | footnotes = | name = | area_total_km2 = 310.61 | elevation_m = 123 | population_total = 24833 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = UTC−06:00 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 50201 Nicoya is a district and head city of the Nicoya canton, in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica, located on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is one of the country's most important tourist zones; it serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks.
Geography
Nicoya has an area of km2 and an elevation of metres.
Locations
- 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
Demographics
|1864= |1883=769 |1892= |1927=4215 |1950=10693 |1963=20556 |1973=20915 |1984=21455 |2000=20945 |2011=24833 For the 2011 census, Nicoya had a population of inhabitants.
In early 2006, a group of researchers led by adventure writer Dan Buettner and supported by National Geographic Magazine, the National Institute on Aging, and Allianz Healthcare, designated Nicoya as a Blue Zone. This designation is granted to global regions that are characterized by the longest life expectancies. Among the ideal Nicoyan lifestyle characteristics cited by the research were the water's high calcium and magnesium content, intense daily physical activity, year-long fruit consumption, and close inter-generational relationships.
Economy
As of 1850, Nicoya harvested pearls for exportation.
Transportation
Road transportation
The district is covered by the following road routes:
- [[File:CR RNP 21.svg|25px]] National Route 21
- [[File:CR RNS 150.svg|25px]] National Route 150
- [[File:CR RNS 157.svg|25px]] National Route 157
- [[File:CR RNT 905.svg|25px]] National Route 905
- [[File:CR RNT 921.svg|25px]] National Route 921
Route 21 is the main road serving Nicoya, connecting the city with Liberia (76 km, north-bound). On the opposite way, Route 21 also connects Nicoya to the rest of Nicoya Peninsula, including Pueblo Viejo (exit to Route 18, and then connecting to Route 1), on the main way to San José (204 km vía Route 1).
Airports
Nicoya has also an airport for domestic flights with no current scheduled services.
Arts and culture
The town was built in an old colonial style, in the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste. Agriculture and cattle form the backbone of the city's economy, as well as the province which surrounds it.
Governance
While the town elected 61-year-old Lorenzo Rosales Vargas as mayor on December 3, 2006, he was only able to serve for about a year before quitting for health reasons. Since May 5, 2008 Eduardo Gutiérrez Rosales has been holding the office as Nicoya's first supply mayor. They are both members of the National Liberation Party (PLN).
Sports
A.D. Guanacasteca is the city's major football team, having spent several years in the Costa Rican Primera División. In 2004, they sold their license and were moved away from Nicoya to become Brujas F.C*.*, but were reformed a year later. They currently play their home games at Estadio Chorotega.
Climate
This area typically has a pronounced dry season. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Nicoya has a tropical savanna climate, abbreviated "Aw" on climate maps.
| width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Nicoya | Jan high C = 33.0 | Feb high C = 34.2 | Mar high C = 35.5 | Apr high C = 35.9 | May high C = 33.9 | Jun high C = 32.3 | Jul high C = 32.4 | Aug high C = 32.9 | Sep high C = 32.3 | Oct high C = 31.7 | Nov high C = 31.8 | Dec high C = 32.2 | Jan low C = 20.1 | Feb low C = 20.8 | Mar low C = 21.5 | Apr low C = 21.8 | May low C = 21.7 | Jun low C = 21.3 | Jul low C = 21.4 | Aug low C = 21.0 | Sep low C = 21.2 | Oct low C = 21.1 | Nov low C = 20.5 | Dec low C = 19.9 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 4.2 | Feb precipitation mm = 7.7 | Mar precipitation mm = 22.4 | Apr precipitation mm = 62.1 | May precipitation mm = 264.2 | Jun precipitation mm = 310.4 | Jul precipitation mm = 247.0 | Aug precipitation mm = 305.9 | Sep precipitation mm = 389.2 | Oct precipitation mm = 391.4 | Nov precipitation mm = 122.3 | Dec precipitation mm = 21.4 | Jan precipitation days = 0.7 | Feb precipitation days = 0.6 | Mar precipitation days = 1.7 | Apr precipitation days = 4.8 | May precipitation days = 14.4 | Jun precipitation days = 18.1 | Jul precipitation days = 14.2 | Aug precipitation days = 17.1 | Sep precipitation days = 20.5 | Oct precipitation days = 20.8 | Nov precipitation days = 9.2 | Dec precipitation days = 2.1 | source 1 = World Meteorological Organization (temperatures 1961–1984, precipitation 1949–2003){{cite web |url = https://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1127 |title = World Weather Information Service |publisher = World Meteorological Organization |access-date = 18 August 2024}}
Education
- Liceo de Nicoya was founded in 1956. It's an academic high school, and it provides education to the whole canton of Nicoya.
References
References
- (19 March 2019). "Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP".
- (8 March 2017). "División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica". Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional.
- "Área en kilómetros cuadrados, según provincia, cantón y distrito administrativo".
- "Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito".
- Baily, John. (1850). "Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica". Trelawney Saunders.
- "Nicoya". Costa Rica 2021.
- Oliver Pérez. (May 6, 2008). "Renunció alcalde de Municipalidad de Nicoya". La Nación.
- link. (2015-02-21 - UNAFUT {{in lang). es
- [http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=591676&cityname=Nicoya%2C+Guanacaste%2C+Costa+Rica&units= Climate Summary for Nicoya, Costa Rica]
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