Guatuso (canton)


Guatuso is the 15th canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of, and has a population of 17,507. The capital city of the canton is San Rafael de Guatuso.

Geography

It is a diamond-shaped canton, with the Río Purgatorio and the Río Frío as the northeast border, the Río Cucaracha as a portion of the southeast border, the Cordillera de Guanacaste on the southwest border, and the Río Rito and the Río Mónico on the northwest. Tenorio Volcano marks the far western point of the canton.

Districts

The canton of Guatuso is subdivided into four districts :
  1. San Rafael
  2. Buenavista
  3. Cote
  4. Katira

    History

The canton was established by a decree of March 17, 1970. It is named for the region's original inhabitants, an indigenous tribe whose survivors are now known as the Maleku and remain as residents of the area.