11 facts about San Jose, Costa Rica
- San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica.
- Before Colombus came to Costa Rica, the territory of San José was occupied by the indigenous group called 'Huetares'.
- Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San José is one of the youngest capital cities in Latin America by year of conception, though it was not named capital until 1823.
- Compared to other Central American capitals, San José is more cosmopolitan, even North Americanized. There are department stores and shopping malls, fast-food chain restaurants, and blue jeans.
- The population of San José Canton is 346,799, though the metropolitan area stretches beyond the canton limits and comprises a third of the country's population.
- Although the city was founded in 1737, little remains from the colonial era.
- The city lies at a mean elevation of 1,161 m above sea level, and enjoys a stable climate throughout the year, with an average temperature of 25oC (77oF) and annual precipitation of 1800 mm, more than 90% of it falling in the rainy season from May to November.
- University of Santo Tomás, the first university of Costa Rica was established here in 1843.
- San José was a small village of little significance until 1823. In that year, Costa Rica's first elected head of state Juan Mora Fernández, moved the government of Costa Rica from the old Spanish colonial capital city of Cartago.
- The downtown area, located in the Central Edificio Correos building, is loaded with cafes.
- Because Costa Rica's public transport and road system radiates from San José, the capital is often used as a base from which to visit the country's many attractions.
