Belén (canton)
Belén | |
|---|---|
San Antonio Church, Belén | |
Belén canton | |
| Coordinates: 9°59′08″N 84°10′37″W / 9.9854406°N 84.1768586°W | |
| Country | Costa Rica |
| Province | Heredia |
| Creation | 8 June 1907 |
| Head city | San Antonio |
| Districts | Districts |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Municipalidad de Belén |
| • Mayor | Zeneida Chaves Fernández (PUSC) |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.15 km2 (4.69 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 937 m (3,074 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 21,633 |
| • Density | 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Belemita |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 |
| Canton code | 407 |
| Website | belen |
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Belén is the seventh canton in the Heredia province of Costa Rica. The head city is in San Antonio district. It is part of the Greater Metropolitan Area, where the housing area constitutes at least 25% of the canton's surface.
It limits to the north and west with the canton of Alajuela, to the east with Flores and Heredia, and to the south with San José, Escazú and Santa Ana. It was founded on June 8, 1907. Its headquarters is the city of San Antonio.
The economy of the canton of Belén is based on industry, commerce and services. The new industries installed are technologies, hotels, manufacturing, commerce, among others. To the north of the region is the developing industrial zone La Ribera and La Asunción, which constitutes 18% of the area of the canton. In 2011, the presence of Intel's high-tech industrial plant made Belén the canton with the highest competitiveness index in the country. As of 2020, the canton has the third highest Human Development Index of any region in Costa Rica with a HDI of 0.858.
The main recreation center is the Balneario Ojo de Agua, the skate park and the sports center. Important historical sites are the House of Culture (Built in 1908), and the old Pacific Railway station, as well as the Church dedicated to San Antonio de Padua.