Santa Ana (canton)

{{Short description|Canton in San José province, Costa Rica}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Santa Ana |native_name = ''Cantón de Santa Ana (Spanish)'' |native_name_lang = es |settlement_type = [[Cantons of Costa Rica|Canton]] |pushpin_map = Costa Rica San José#Costa Rica |pushpin_map_alt = Santa Ana canton location in San José Province##Santa Ana canton location in Costa Rica |pushpin_map_caption = Santa Ana canton location in San José Province##Santa Ana canton location in Costa Rica |coordinates = {{coord|9.9184253|-84.1957531|type:adm2nd_region:CR|display=inline,title}} |image_flag = Bandera Cantón Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica.svg |image_shield = Escudo del cantón de Santa Ana.svg |image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|type=shape|title=Santa Ana canton}} |map_alt = Santa Ana canton |map_caption = Santa Ana canton |image_skyline = Collage de Santa Ana.png |image_alt = Collage of images from the canton. |image_caption = From the top, left to right: The [[Saint Anne]] parish church, a [[Tabebuia rosea|Roble Sabana]], the [[Cerros de Escazú|Escazú mountains]] as seen from the [[Salitral]] district, the [[Centro de Conservación de Santa Ana|Santa Ana Conservation Centre]], a shopping centre, a view of the sunset in the [[Piedades]] district, a view of Santa Ana at night. |nicknames = ''Valle del Sol''<ref name="canton">{{cite web |title=El Cantón |url=https://www.santaana.go.cr/el-canton/ |website=santaana.go.cr |publisher=Gobierno local de Santa Ana |access-date=February 8, 2023 |language=es}}</ref> Spanish for: "Valley of the Sun" |established_title = Creation |established_date = August 29, 1907 |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{CRI}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Costa Rica|Province]] |subdivision_name1 = [[San José Province|San José]] |seat_type = Head city |seat = [[Santa Ana District|Santa Ana]] |government_type = [[Local government in Costa Rica|Municipality]] |governing_body = {{lang|es|Municipalidad de Santa Ana}} |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Juan José Vargas Fallas [[Social Christian Unity Party|(PUSC)]] |parts_type = [[Districts of Costa Rica|Districts]] |parts_style = list |parts = Districts |p1 = [[Santa Ana District|Santa Ana]] |p2 = [[Salitral District|Salitral]] |p3 = [[Pozos District, Santa Ana|Pozos]] |p4 = [[Uruca District, Santa Ana|Uruca]] |p5 = [[Piedades District|Piedades]] |p6 = [[Brasil District|Brasil]] |area_total_km2 = 61.42 |elevation_m = 904 |population_total = 49123 |population_as_of = 2011 |population_est = 58020 |pop_est_as_of = 2022 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_demonym = Santaneño, -a |timezone1 = [[UTC−06:00]] |blank_name = Canton code |blank_info = 109 |website = {{URL|https://www.santaana.go.cr/}} }} '''Santa Ana''' (Spanish: ''Cantón de Santa Ana'') is the ninth [[Cantons of Costa Rica|canton]] in the [[San José Province|San José]] province of [[Costa Rica]].<ref name="divadm">{{cite web |language=es |title=Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP |url=http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=88416&nValor3=115607&param2=1&strTipM=TC&lResultado=1&strSim=simp |website=Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica |access-date=September 26, 2020 |date=March 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name="dta2017">{{cite book |language=es |title=División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica|date=March 8, 2017|publisher=Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional|isbn=978-9977-58-477-5|url=https://www.imprentanacional.go.cr/editorialdigital/libros/historiaygeografia/division_17.pdf}}</ref> It is located in the [[Costa Rican Central Valley|Central Valley]]. It borders with the [[Alajuela (canton)|Alajuela canton]] to the north, the [[Mora (canton)|Mora canton]] to the south and west, the [[Escazú (canton)|Escazú canton]] to the east, as well as the [[Belén (canton)|Belén canton]] to the north east.<ref>{{cite web |title=Santa Ana |url=https://ccp.ucr.ac.cr/bvp/mapoteca/CostaRica/generales/atlas_cantonal_1984/10-Santa_Ana.pdf |website=Bibloteca Virtual en Poblacion, Centroamericano de Poblacion |publisher=Instituto de Fomento y Asesoría Municipal |access-date=February 4, 2023 |language=es |date=1985}}</ref> As of 2022, the canton has the highest [[Human Development Index]] of any region in Costa Rica with a score of 0.871.<ref name="2022hdi">{{Cite web |author=Sistema Nacional de Información y Registro Único de Beneficiarios del Estado |author2=Escuela de Estadística de la Universidad de Costa Rica |author-link2=University of Costa Rica |author3=Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo |author-link3=United Nations Development Programme |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Atlas de Desarrollo Humano Cantonal en Costa Rica, 2022 |url=https://www.undp.org/es/costa-rica/publicaciones/atlas-de-desarrollo-humano-cantonal-2022 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |website=Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo |language=es}}</ref>

==Toponymy== The first mention of the name appears in the Protocols of [[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]] on December 1, 1658, when part of the land which now conforms the canton became property of José de Alvarado and Petronilla de Retes after their marriage. The name of the lands comes from the original owner, Jerónimo de Retes y López de Ortega, father of Petronilla. Ortega was seeded the land in the 17th century by the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish crown]] as recognition for his work as an official in Cartago. It is theorised that the lands were named in honour of [[Saint Anne]], possibly because Ortega had a special affinity with the saint (as he would later name his daughter Ana de Retes after the saint as well).<ref name="Ifam">{{cite web |title=SANTA ANA CANTÓN 1- 09 |url=https://www.ifam.go.cr/?page_id=389 |website=Ifam.go.cr |publisher=Instituto de Fomento y Asesoria Municipal; Preserved by the Internet Archive |access-date=January 26, 2023 |language=es |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014190144/https://www.ifam.go.cr/?page_id=389 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Aguilar |first1=Ana Yancy |title=Conozca el origen del nombre del cantón de Santa Ana |url=https://amprensa.com/2016/08/conozca-el-origen-del-nombre-del-canton-de-santa-ana/ |publisher=Amprensa |access-date=January 26, 2023 |language=es}}</ref><ref name="Ticotimes">{{cite news |title=Santa Ana history: Was this Spain's first town in the Central Valley? |url=https://ticotimes.net/2016/07/07/santa-ana-history |access-date=February 1, 2023 |publisher=The Tico Times |date=July 7, 2016}}</ref>

== History == === Pre-Columbian and Early History === The earliest known occupied settlements in the region can be dated to the 3rd century, with the land that now conforms the canton being part of the indigenous {{ill|Reino Huetar de Occidente|es}} ("The Huetar Kingdom of the West"). At the time of the Spanish's arrival in the 16th century, this kingdom was one of two indigenous kingdoms ruled by the cacique [[Garabito (King)|Garabito]].<ref name="canton"/> A total of 11 archaeological sites can be found in the canton.<ref>{{cite web |title=Búsqueda de Sitios Arqueológicos |url=http://origenes.museocostarica.go.cr/resultadosGeneral.aspx?provincia=4348&canton=4540 |website=origenes.museocostarica.go.cr |publisher=Museo Nacional de Costa Rica |access-date=September 5, 2023 |language=es}}</ref>

After [[Christopher Columbus]]'s arrival on the Costa Rican coast in 1502, the Spanish made few expeditions into the region, with no permanent Spanish settlement existing in the region for nearly 60 years following Columbus' arrival.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="Nelson">{{cite book |last1=Nelson |first1=H. D |title=Costa Rica, a country study / Foreign Area Studies, the American University; edited by Harold D. Nelson. |date=1983 |publisher=Headquarters, Dept. of the Army |location=Washington D.C |pages=9–10 |edition=2nd |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x001642480&seq=45 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> However in 1559, upon receiving a royal license from [[Philip II of Spain]], the governor of [[Nicaragua]], Juan de Cavallón y Arboleda, planned an effort to colonise the Costa Rican Caribbean coast. Although this effort failed, in January 1561, alongside an expedition formed by 80 Spaniards, slaves and a large amount of livestock, Cavallón entered the region from Nicaragua, in another effort to settle and pacify the region.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="Nelson"/> The expedition would pass near the modern-day location of [[Puntarenas]], before marching further inland. There, Cavallón would send out various hunting parties, one of which captured an indigenous Chorotega chief called Coyote. Subsequently, Coyote's subjects agreed to guide Cavallón further inland.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> From here, it is likely that the expedition followed the [[Costa Rican Central Valley|Central Valley]]'s ridgelines, passing by the modern day location of [[Santiago District, Puriscal|Santiago de Puriscal]], before entering the Santa Ana Valley.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/>

There, it is believed that Cavallón founded the settlement of [[Garcimuñoz (settlement)|Castillo de Garcimuñoz]], which was named after [[Castillo de Garcimuñoz|his birthplace]]. It is believed to be the first permanent Spanish settlement in the region, as well as the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="Nelson"/> However, the location of settlement has been debated, with some suggesting the location was further east, near modern day [[Desamparados]].<ref name="Ticotimes"/> In 1562 however, Cavallón would leave the settlement,<ref name="Ticotimes"/> possibly discouraged by the lack of gold deposits in the region. He was replaced by veteran explorer Juan Vázquez de Coronado.<ref name="Nelson"/> By 1563, the settlement was mostly abandoned, with many inhabitants (including Coronado) moving further east, where Coronado would eventually found the city of Cartago.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="Nelson"/> This was possibly done due to resistance from local tribes or possibly due to the lack of slave labour.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> Following Cavallón's settlement, another expedition led by Don Antonio de Pereira would reach as far as the Santa Ana mountains, a region now known as "El Alto de las Palomas" ("The Pigeon's Height").<ref name="Ifam"/> The canton was further colonised in the 16th or 17th century,{{efn-lg|Sources conflict on the century the lands were ceded in. An Ifam article states that the ceding occurred in the 16th century,<ref name="Ifam"/> however a later TicoTimes article states that the ceding occurred a century later.<ref name="Ticotimes"/>}} following the ceding of the land by the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish crown]] to Jerónimo de Retes y López de Ortega, the high sheriff of [[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]].<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/> These lands were ceded as recognition for his work.<ref name="Ifam"/> Following Jerónimo's daughter (Petronila de Retes)’s marriage to José de Alvarado, part of the lands were ceded into the couple's possession in a letter in the Protocols of Cartago dated on December 1, 1658. This letter also marks the first mention of the name Santa Ana, as a name for the lands.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/> Soon afterwards however, the lands would pass down to Ana de Retes, Petronilla's sister.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> Ana would later sell the lands in which the modern head city of Santa Ana is located in.<ref name="Ifam"/>

The Retes family would later sell part of the lands in 1750 to a priest named Juan de Pomar y Burgos.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> Around the year 1765, Pomar would build a house, (now known as "La Casona")<ref name="Museum">{{cite web |title=Museo Histórico Agrícola |url=https://www.fundazoo.org/centrodeconservacion/museo-hist%C3%B3rico-agr%C3%ADcola |website=fundazoo.org |publisher=Fundación Pro Zoológicos, (Fundazoo) |access-date=December 14, 2023 |language=es |date=June 3, 2021}}</ref> as-well as a chapel.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="Conservation">{{cite web |title=Centro de Conservación Santa Ana |url=https://www.fundazoo.org/centrodeconservacion |website=fundazoo.org |publisher=Fundación Pro Zoológicos, (Fundazoo) |access-date=December 14, 2023 |language=es |date=June 3, 2021}}</ref> The Casona is still standing today, and is now part of the Museo Histórico Agrícola (Historical Agricultural Museum) located in the [[Centro de Conservación de Santa Ana|Santa Ana Conservation Centre]]. La Casona was also declared Historical Arquitectural Heritage of Costa Rica. It is one of the oldest structures located at the Conservation Centre.<ref name="Museum"/><ref name="Conservation"/>

By 1817, most of the land had come into possession of Ana María de Cárdenas.<ref name="Ifam"/> However, by 1850, the lands had changed hands multiple times, eventually ending up in the hands of a priest named Ana Tiburcio Fernández Valverde. Valverde would subsequently remodel the old chapel, converting it into a small hermitage, which would open in 1850.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/> Around this time, the modern day head city of the canton ([[Santa Ana, Costa Rica|Santa Ana]]) began to arise around the Fernández property, along the Uruca river. In March 1870, the current parish church of Santa Ana began construction, with it being completed in 1880. The centre of the future district moved east around this time to the location of the new parish church.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref name="115 years">{{cite web |title=Hace 115 años Santa Ana fue declarado cantón |url=https://www.santaanahoy.com/single-post/hace-115-a%C3%B1os-santa-ana-fue-declarado-cant%C3%B3n |website=santaanahoy.com |publisher=Santa Ana Hoy |access-date=September 8, 2023 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Historia |url=https://parroquiasantaana-cr.org/historia |website=parroquiasantaana-cr.org |publisher=Parroquia de Santa Ana |access-date=October 20, 2023 |language=es}}</ref>

[[File:Sign_for_the_river_Uruca.jpg|thumb|left|alt=The Uruca River.|Road sign for the Uruca River, seen off [[National Route 27 (Costa Rica)|National Route 27]]]] In the [[1864 Costa Rican census]], the region of Santa Ana{{efn-lg|Within the census, referred to as either Santa Ana<ref name="N.VI">{{cite book |title=Nº VI; Cuadro Que Comprende La Población de la Republica en Provincias, Cantones, Distritos y Pueblos por Edades Progresivas en Grupos De A 5 Años |date=1868 |publisher=Dirección General de Estadística |location=Imprenta Nacional; Calle de la Merced |page=53 |url=https://inec.cr/wwwisis/documentos/INEC/CensosBorrar/1868%20-%20Censo%20de%20la%20Rep%FAblica%20de%20Costa%20Rica/Censo%20de%20la%20Rep%FAblica%20de%20Costa%20Rica%201864.pdf |access-date=September 3, 2024 |language=es}}</ref> or Santana,<ref name="N.VIII">{{cite book |title=Nº VIII; Cuadro Que Comprende La Poblacion de la Republica en Provincias, Cantones, Distritos y Pueblos por Su Estado Civil |date=1868 |publisher=Dirección General de Estadística |location=Imprenta Nacional; Calle de la Merced |page=85 |url=https://inec.cr/wwwisis/documentos/INEC/CensosBorrar/1868%20-%20Censo%20de%20la%20Rep%FAblica%20de%20Costa%20Rica/Censo%20de%20la%20Rep%FAblica%20de%20Costa%20Rica%201864.pdf |access-date=September 3, 2024 |language=es}}</ref> depending on the section.}}, at the time a part of the [[Escazú (canton)|Escazú canton]]{{efn-lg|Within the census, the canton is referred to as Escasú.<ref name="N.VI"/><ref name="N.VIII"/>}}, is recorded as having a population of 1,068.<ref name="N.VI"/><ref name="N.VIII"/> 6 years later in 1870, the government of [[Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez]] creates the Santa Ana mayorship, and names Cerlindo Villareal as its first mayor.<ref name="115 years"/> In 1890, a piece of former Fernández property, known as "Hacienda Ross" (named after its original owner, [[England|Englishman]] Robert Ross Lang), is believed to have become the first ever Costa Rican settlement for railway workers, due to the good relationship between the railroad builder, [[Minor Cooper Keith|Minor Kieth]], and the Ross family.<ref name="Ticotimes"/>

===Independence From Escazú and Modern History=== On August 29, 1907, under law no.8, Santa Ana was awarded the title of canton, becoming fully independent from [[Escazú (canton)|Escazú]]. The first session of the new council was held on September 15 that same year.<ref name="canton"/><ref name="Ifam"/>

In 1908, a contract was signed to build Costa Rica's second hydroelectric plant in the [[Brasil District]] of the canton, with it being finished it 1912. Electric streetlights would arrive the following year.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> Around 1915, it is believed that onions were introduced to the canton, they would quickly become Santa Ana's most famous crop, with Santa Ana citizens being given the nickname of "Cebolleros" (onion farmers). Santa Ana holds an Onion fair even in modern times.<ref name="Ticotimes" /><ref name="onion">{{cite web |title=Pueblo Cebollero. |url=https://parroquiasantaana-cr.org/pueblo-cebollero |website=parroquiasantaana-cr.org |publisher=Parroquia de Santa Ana |access-date=September 8, 2023|language=es}}</ref> Following the military coup of [[Federico Tinoco Granados]] in 1917,<ref name="Tinico">{{cite web|title=Expresidentes de Costa Rica |url=http://www.asamblea.go.cr/ca/Expresindentes%20de%20Costa%20Rica/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=49 |website=asamblea.go.cr |publisher=Asamblea Legislativa, Republica de Costa Rica |access-date=February 1, 2024 |language=es}}</ref> the city of Santa Ana would become a mayor stronghold for rebellion against the government. Among the leaders of this rebellion was [[Jorge Volio Jiménez]], a priest who was later honoured with a head bust outside of the Municipal Building of Santa Ana.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> Tinico's rule would only last 2 years, with him being deposed in 1919.<ref name="Tinico"/> Costa Rica's first international airport would open in the canton, in the barrio of Lindora, in 1931, with the town soon being modernised into an international gateway for the country around 1934. The country's main airport would be moved to [[Mata Redonda|La Sabana]] in 1940.<ref name="Ticotimes"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Salguero |first1=Miguel |title=Cantones de Costa Rica |date=2000 |publisher=Editorial Costa Rica |location=San José |isbn=9977-23-685-2 |page=34 |edition=2a |language=es}}</ref>

During the 1948 [[Costa Rican Civil War]], the canton would be home to {{ill|Marcial Aguiluz Orellana|es}}, a leading figure in the [[National Liberation Party (Costa Rica)|National Liberation Army]] during the civil war. He would later help defeat a counter-revolutionary movement by [[Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia]] in 1955, and would eventually join the [[Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica]]. He would die in the canton in 1986. The first automatic telephone would arrive in the canton in 1966.<ref name="Ticotimes"/> On May 4, 1970, Santa Ana was officially declared a city under the municipal code, and would become the seat for the Santa Ana canton.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/>

In 1971, the name of "Valley of the Sun" would be adopted by the municipality after being used as a traditional nickname for the canton for years.<ref name="dta2017"/><ref name="Ticotimes"/> On March 23 that same year, a group of the canton's citizens gathered in the Andrés Bello López school to discuss the creation of a college to serve the area. Following a 6-month funding campaign, the Colegio de Santa Ana (Santa Ana College) is founded in September 1971, with it beginning its activities in 1972.<ref name="Ifam"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Nuestra Institución |url=https://www.csa.ed.cr/nosotros/ |website=csa.ed.cr |publisher=Colegio de Santa Ana |access-date=October 30, 2023 |language=es}}</ref> Following his appointment as coordinator to the Cultural Affairs Commission of the canton's municipal council, Dr. {{ill|Jorge Luis Acevedo Vargas|de}} began an investigation into the canton's cultural potential. Following his investigation's publishing as a book, and support from the canton's Municipal Council, Dr. Acevedo's proposal of an art school and art gallery to support the region was approved in 1998. The Municipal School of Integrated Arts and gallery were both created that same year. They are located in the canton's head city of Santa Ana.<ref name="EMAI">{{cite web |title=10° Aniversario Fundación EMAI |url=https://www.emaicr.com/2009/04/10-aniversario-fundacion-emai.html |website=emaicr.com |publisher=Escuela Municipal de Artes Integradas|access-date=November 23, 2023|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Historia |url=https://www.emaicr.com/2009/04/historia.html |website=emaicr.com |publisher=Escuela Municipal de Artes Integradas |access-date=December 4, 2023}}</ref>

== Government == === Mayor === According to Costa Rica's [[Local government in Costa Rica|Municipal Code]], mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton.<ref name="codmuni">{{Cite web |author=Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica |author-link=Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica |date=May 13, 2024 |title=Código Municipal |trans-title=Municipal Code |url=http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=40197 |website=Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica |language=es}}</ref> As of the latest [[2024 Costa Rican municipal elections|municipal elections in 2024]], the [[Social Christian Unity Party]] candidate, Juan José Vargas Fallas, was elected mayor of the canton with 26.79% of the votes, with María de los Ángeles Sibaja{{Efn-lg|Also legally named Marielos Rivera Sibaja.}} and Alexander Hernández Hernández as first and second vice mayors, respectively.<ref name="2024alcdec2">{{Cite web |author=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |author-link=Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica |date=February 21, 2024 |title=N.° 1658-E11-2024 – Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho. |url=https://www.tse.go.cr/juris/relevantes/1658-E11-2024.html |access-date=July 26, 2024 |language=es}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto" |+ Mayors of Santa Ana since the [[2002 Costa Rican municipal elections|2002 elections]]<ref name="decs">{{Cite web |author=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |author-link=Supreme Electoral Court of Costa Rica |title=Resoluciones declaratorias de elección |url=https://www.tse.go.cr/declaratorias.htm |access-date=July 26, 2024 |website=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |language=es}}</ref> !Period !Name !Party |- |[[2002 Costa Rican municipal elections|2002–2006]] |Ronald Octavio Traña Calvo |[[File:Bandera del Partido Unidad Social Cristiana.svg|border|frameless|upright=.1]] [[Social Christian Unity Party|PUSC]] |- |[[2006 Costa Rican municipal elections|2006–2010]] | rowspan="4" |Gerardo Oviedo Espinoza | rowspan="4" |[[File:Bandera de Partido Liberación Nacional.svg|border|frameless|upright=.1]] [[National Liberation Party (Costa Rica)|PLN]] |- |[[2010 Costa Rican municipal elections|2010–2016]] |- |[[2016 Costa Rican municipal elections|2016–2020]] |- |[[2020 Costa Rican municipal elections|2020–2024]] |- |[[2024 Costa Rican municipal elections|2024–2028]] |Juan José Vargas Fallas |[[File:Bandera del Partido Unidad Social Cristiana.svg|border|frameless|upright=.1]] [[Social Christian Unity Party|PUSC]] |}

=== Municipal Council === Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called {{lang|es|regidores}}) are elected every four years. Santa Ana's Municipal Council has 7 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor ({{Lang|es|regidor propietario}}) is absent.<ref name="codmuni"/> The current president of the Municipal Council is the [[Party of the Sun (Costa Rica)|Party of the Sun]] regidora, María Paula Villarreal Galera, with the [[Social Christian Unity Party]] member, Gonzalo Rojas Rojas, as vice president.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Gobierno local de Santa Ana |title=Miembros del Concejo |url=https://www.santaana.go.cr/miembros-concejo/ |access-date=July 26, 2024 |website=Gobierno Local de Santa Ana |language=es}}</ref> The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="margin:auto;" |+ Current composition of the Municipal Council of Santa Ana after the [[2024 Costa Rican municipal elections|2024 municipal elections]]<ref name="2024regdec">{{Cite web |author=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones |author-link=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica |date=February 12, 2024 |title=N.° 2218-E11-2024 – Declaratoria de elección de regidurías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de San José, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho. |url=https://www.tse.go.cr/juris/relevantes/2218-E11-2024.html |access-date=July 26, 2024 |language=es}}</ref> |- | colspan="6" |[[File:Costa Rica Santa Ana Concejo Municipal 2024.svg|frameless|center]] |- ! colspan="6" |'''Political parties in the Municipal Council of Santa Ana''' |----- ! colspan="3" rowspan="2" |Political party ! colspan="3" |Regidores |- !№ !Owner !Substitute |- | rowspan="2" |[[File:Bandera Partido del Sol Santa Ana Costa Rica.svg|border|frameless|upright=.2]] | rowspan="2" |[[Party of the Sun (Costa Rica)|Party of the Sun]] (PDS) | rowspan="2" bgcolor="#0081FF" | | rowspan="2" |2 |Marco Aurelio Odio Aguilar |Esteban Blanco Herrera |- |María Paula Villarreal Galera(P) |Debbie Mayela Zamora Leitón |- | rowspan="2" |[[File:Bandera del Partido Unidad Social Cristiana.svg|border|frameless|upright=.2]] | rowspan="2" |[[Social Christian Unity Party]] (PUSC) | rowspan="2" bgcolor="#CF1A23" | | rowspan="2" |2 |Cynthia Jorleny Chaves Robles |Sofía Álvarez Kim |----- |Gonzalo Rojas Rojas(VP) |Ricardo Enrique Alfaro Zamora |- | rowspan="2" |[[File:Bandera de Partido Liberación Nacional.svg|border|frameless|upright=.2]] | rowspan="2" |[[National Liberation Party (Costa Rica)|National Liberation Party]] (PLN) | rowspan="2" bgcolor="#14A54E" | | rowspan="2" |2 |Walter Alberto Herrera Cantillo{{Efn-lg|Also legally named Walther Alb Herrera Cantillo}} |José Roberto Castro Araya |----- |Milena Blen Alvarado |Marcela María Sibaja Cabrera |- |[[File:Bandera Partido Republicano Social Cristiano Costa Rica.svg|border|frameless|upright=.2]] |[[Social Christian Republican Party]] (PRSC) | bgcolor="#FFCF01" | |1 |Danny Ricardo Ureña Marín |Emmanuel Morales Mora |}

== Geography == Santa Ana has an area of {{Cvt|61.42|km2}}<ref name="ignarea">{{Cite web |author=Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica |date=June 20, 2024 |title=División Territorial Administrativa, 2024 – Totales de Provincias, Cantones y Distritos de Costa Rica |trans-title=Administrative Territorial Division, 2024 – Totals of Provinces, Cantons and Districts of Costa Rica |url=https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/DTA-TABLA%20POR%20PROVINCIA-CANT%C3%93N-DISTRITO%202024.pdf |language=es |format=PDF}}</ref> and a mean elevation of {{Cvt|904|m}}.<ref name="divadm"/>

The triangular-shaped canton is delineated by the Virilla River on the north and stretches south as it narrows to include a portion of the [[Cerros de Escazú]].

== Districts == The canton of Santa Ana is subdivided into the following [[Districts of Costa Rica|districts]]:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;" ! colspan="6" |Districts of the Santa Ana Canton |- !# !District !Area (km2)<ref name="ignarea"/> !Elevation<ref name="dta2017"/> !Population (2022)<ref name="2022popest">{{Cite web |author=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos |author-link=National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica |date=2023 |title=Resultados Estimacion de Poblacion y Vivienda 2022 |trans-title=2022 Population and Housing Estimate Results |url=https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604233425/https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx |archive-date=June 4, 2024 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |language=es |format=XLSX}}</ref> ! |- |1 |[[Santa Ana District|Santa Ana]] |5.44 |904 m |{{formatnum:13186}} | rowspan="6" |[[File:División_administrativa_Santa_Ana.png|199x199px]] |- |2 |[[Salitral District|Salitral]] |20.29 |1022 m. |{{formatnum:4626}} |- |3 |[[Pozos District, Santa Ana|Pozos]] |13.35 |847 m. |{{formatnum:17516}} |- |4 |[[Uruca District, Santa Ana|Uruca]] |7.03 |873 m. |{{formatnum:9423}} |- |5 |[[Piedades District|Piedades]] |12.07 |899 m |{{formatnum:9393}} |- |6 |[[Brasil District|Brasil]] |3.24 |878 m |{{formatnum:3876}} |}

== Demographics == {{CR Census population}} Santa Ana had an estimated population of {{formatnum:58020}} people in 2022, an increase from the {{formatnum:49123}} recorded at the time of the [[2011 Costa Rican census|2011 census]].<ref name="2022popest" /><ref name="censo2011">{{cite web |language=es |title=Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito |url=https://www.inec.cr/censos/censos-2011 |website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>

In 2022, the canton would obtain the highest [[Human Development Index]] in the country with a score of 0.871.<ref name="2022hdi"/>

== Transportation == === Road transportation === The canton is covered by the following road routes: {{columns-list| *[[File:CR RNP 22.svg|25px]] [[National Route 22 (Costa Rica)|National Route 22]] *[[File:CR RNP 27.svg|25px]] [[National Route 27 (Costa Rica)|National Route 27]] *[[File:CR RNS 121.svg|25px]] [[National Route 121 (Costa Rica)|National Route 121]] *[[File:CR RNS 147.svg|25px]] [[National Route 147 (Costa Rica)|National Route 147]] *[[File:CR RNT 310.svg|25px]] [[National Route 310 (Costa Rica)|National Route 310]] *[[File:CR RNT 311.svg|25px]] [[National Route 311 (Costa Rica)|National Route 311]] }}

==Culture== ===Music and Visual Arts=== The canton is served by the Municipal School of Integrated Arts, which is located in the canton's head city of Santa Ana. It is funded by the canton's local government.<ref>{{cite web |title=¿Quiénes somos? |url=https://www.emaicr.com/2009/04/quienes-somos.html |website=emaicr.com |publisher=Escuela Municipal de Artes Integradas|access-date=December 4, 2023|language=es}}</ref> The school was founded upon the approval of a proposal made by Dr. Jorge Luis Acevedo in 1998.<ref name="EMAI"/> The school also has an art gallery, also created in 1998,<ref name="EMAI"/> a café, and several sculptures and statues along the school's entrance. The school holds several events, including a [[Baroque music]] festival, and the "Luz de Luna Verano" ("Summer Moonlight") festival, which is based on traditional Costa Rican culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Proyección de la Escuela Municipal de Artes Integradas – 2009 |url=https://www.emaicr.com/2009/04/proyeccion.html |website=emaicr.com |publisher=Escuela Municipal de Artes Integradas|access-date=December 5, 2023 |language=es}}</ref>

===Symbols=== ====Flag==== [[File:Bandera Cantón Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica.svg|The canton's flag|175px|thumb]] Adopted by the municipal council of the canton on April 22, 1987,<ref name="Flag">{{cite web |title=Santa Ana (San Jose, Costa Rica) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cr-sj-15.html|website=crwflags.com |publisher=Flags of the World |access-date=October 10, 2023}}</ref> the flag consists of three symmetrical horizontal stripes. The top most green stripe represents the canton's nature and fields, the middle yellow stripe represents the sun (as the canton and the valley it resides in has been nicknamed "The Valley of the Sun"), and the lower most pink stripe representing the colour of the flowers of the Roble Sabana, another of the canton's symbols.<ref name="canton"/><ref name="Flag"/>

====Coat of Arms==== [[File:Escudo del cantón de Santa Ana.svg|The canton's coat of arms|110px|thumb]] Designed in 1971,<ref name="canton"/> the coat of arms's shield features a valley, which is crossed by a path coming from a hill. Upon this hill is a Roble Sabana. It also features a man working with a shovel. Above the shield is a yellow medieval-style turret and a blue ribbon with the canton's name written on it. The shield is surrounded by two coffee branches. Below the shield is another blue ribbon, upon which is written the year of the canton's creation, 1907.<ref name="canton"/><ref name="Flag"/>

====Roble de Sabana==== [[File:Roble Sabana (Tabebuia rosea).jpg|A Roble Sabana|175px|thumb]] The [[Tabebuia rosea]] (nicknamed "Roble de Sabana", meaning Savannah Oak) is native to Costa Rica, and can be seen in the country's warm areas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Roble Sabana |url=https://www.costaricagardens.com/cat%C3%A1logo-de-%C3%81rboles-y-plantas/roble-sabana |website=costaricagardens.com |publisher=Costa Rica Gardens |access-date=February 9, 2023 |language=es}}</ref> It was declared a symbol of the canton by Santa Ana's Municipal Council in ordinary session n.267 held on June 23, 2015. The tree can also be seen of the canton's coat of arms and flag.<ref name="canton"/>

===The Onion and Agricultural Fairs=== It is believed that the onion was introduced to the canton around 1915,<ref name="Ticotimes"/> with most farmers of the region subsidizing thanks to the vegetable.<ref name="onion"/> By 1970, approximately 200 hectares of onion were planted. However due to the region's urbanization, it is estimated that that number has lowered to around 50 hectares in modern times.<ref name="onion"/> The region's onions are known for a few of their characteristics: Their colourization, firmness, globe-like shape, as-well as the traditional cultivation and drying methods used during their production. The latter of these two methods leads to dry onions with golden-like skin, which makes them able to last around 3 months.<ref name="onion"/><ref name="Fair">{{cite news |last1=Chinchilla Carvajal |first1=Aarón |title=Regresa Feria de la Cebolla a Santa Ana |url=https://www.diarioextra.com/Noticia/detalle/495577/regresa-feria-de-la-cebolla-a-santa-ana |access-date=September 14, 2024 |publisher=Diario Extra |date=March 18, 2023 |language=es}}</ref> In the canton, the highest production of the onion is seen between September and March.<ref name="onion"/> The region's onions only have one harvest season, between March and April.<ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo">{{cite news |title=La cebolla se viste de fiesta en la feria de Santa Ana |url=https://elmundo.cr/municipales/la-cebolla-se-viste-de-fiesta-en-la-feria-de-santa-ana/ |access-date=September 14, 2024 |publisher=elmundo.cr |date=March 8, 2017 |location=San Jose, Costa Rica |language=es}}</ref>

The canton hosts the Feria de la Cebolla ("Onion's Fair"), a fair which is seen as one of Costa Rica's traditional fairs.<ref name="onion"/><ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo"/> Held since 1991,<ref name="mundo"/> and held in the month of March,<ref name="onion"/> the fair is organized by the Centro Agrícola Cantonal ("Cantonal Agricultural Centre" or CAC).<ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo"/> The 2017 and 2023 fairs were also organized by the Santa Ana municipality.<ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo"/> The former was also organized by the Agencia de Extensión del Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería ("Extension Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock" or MAG).<ref name="mundo"/> The fair has also seen sales of [[churro]]s, [[pupusa]]s, other onion based products, handmade products (referred to as "artesanías" in Spanish), among others.<ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo"/> The fair has also held sporting and musical events.<ref name="Fair"/><ref name="mundo"/>

==Notable people== This is a list of people born or that have lived in Santa Ana.

*Alejandro Muñoz Villalobos: Economista y Educador. Él fue Director de la Maestría en Economía para el Desarrollo de la Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (2013–2015), fue Presidente Ejecutivo de la Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo RECOPE (2018–2022), en la administración del Presidente Carlos Alvarado Quesada *[[Marcia González Aguiluz]]: Lawyer with an emphasis on environmental law. She was the president of the [[Citizens' Action Party (Costa Rica)|Citizens' Action Party]] between 2017 and 2018, as well as former minister of justice and peace under president [[Carlos Alvarado Quesada]]. *[[María Luisa Ávila Agüero]]: A [[Pediatrics|Pediatric]] subspecializing in infectious diseases who was the minister of health under presidents [[Óscar Arias Sánchez]] and [[Laura Chinchilla]]. *[[Michael Umaña]]: Former [[association football|football]] player who played as a [[Defender (association football)|defender]]. *[[Carlos Martínez (footballer, born 1999)|Carlos Martínez]]: Football player who currently plays at [[A.D. San Carlos]] as a defender. *{{ill|Marcial Aguiluz Orellana|es}}: A Honduran farmer who would join the Costa Rican legislative assembly on two occasions. He was a rebel figure in the 1948 civil war. He lived and died in the canton.

== Notes == {{Reflist|group=lower-greek}}

== References == {{reflist}}

[[Category:Cantons of San José Province]] [[Category:Populated places in San José Province]] [[Category:Andrés Bello]] [[Category:Greater Metropolitan Area (Costa Rica)]]