# Cartago Province, Costa Rica – Population, Cantons & Map

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/

Province · Costa Rica 

# Cartago Province

Cartago Province is a province of Costa Rica. It had an estimated **544,551 people** in 2021 on 3,094 km² (about 176 per km²). Its main town is Cartago. It is divided into 8 cantons. 737 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 2,165 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 544,551people (2021)
- 3,094km²
- 8cantons
- 2,165mapped services

## How many people live in Cartago Province?

Cartago Province had an estimated **544,551 people** in 2021 — 10.5% of Costa Rica, 3rd of 7 provinces. There are 991 women for every 1,000 men (close to the Costa Rica figure of 985). Spread over 3,094 km², that is about **176 people per km²**, 3rd of 7 provinces.

20.6% of people are children under 15 and 9.3% are 65 or older; the median age is about 33 years (it is 33 across Costa Rica). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 43 children and older people.

0–4 ****36,377**

5–9 ****38,561**

10–14 ****37,365**

15–19 ****37,302**

20–24 ****44,430**

25–29 ****47,410**

30–34 ****48,406**

35–39 ****44,337**

40–44 ****38,366**

45–49 ****33,137**

50–54 ****32,012**

55–59 ****30,829**

60–64 ****25,350**

65–69 ****19,116**

70–74 ****12,459**

75+ ****19,094**

Source: [Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, population 2021 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-cri).

## Where is Cartago Province?

Cartago Province lies in [Costa Rica](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/). It borders 2 other provinces: [Limón Province](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/limon/) and [San José Province](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/san-jose/). By area it is the 6th largest of 7 provinces in Costa Rica. It covers 6.0% of [Costa Rica](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/). The centre of Cartago Province is about 45 km in a straight line from San José, the capital. The centre point is at 9.8158° N, 83.6943° W.

Source: [Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-cri).

## Things to see in and around Cartago Province

OpenStreetMap lists 88 named sights in Cartago Province: 27 attractions; 12 viewpoints; 8 waterfalls; 7 monuments; 7 museums; 6 nature reserves; 4 ruins; 4 national parks; 3 archaeological sites; 3 memorials; 3 volcanos; 2 galleries; 1 hot spring; 1 zoo.

- La Casa del Soñador (Dreamer's House) · museum
- Museo Convento Franciscano San José de Orosi · museum
- Museo Leone de Ujarrás · museum
- Museo Municipal de Cartago · museum
- Museo Omar Salazar Obando · museum
- Museo de la Ciudad de los Niños · museum
- Volcano Museum Noche Buena · museum
- Monumento Arqueológico Agua Caliente · archaeological site
- Monumento Nacional Guayabo · archaeological site
- Monumento nacional Guayabo · archaeological site
- Aquiares warerfall · waterfall
- Catarata · waterfall
- Catarata · waterfall
- Catarata Ayil · waterfall
- Catarata La Bruja · waterfall
- Catarata Rio Macho · waterfall
- Catarata del Río Chirripo · waterfall
- waterfall Aquiares (the small one) · waterfall
- Irazú Volcano National Park · national park
- Parque Nacional Barbilla · national park
- Parque Nacional Tapantí - Macizo Cerro de la Muerte · national park
- Parque Nacional Volcán Turrialba · national park
- Corredor Biológico Río María Aguilar · nature reserve
- Parque Nacional Tapantí · nature reserve
- Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Marta · nature reserve
- Reserva Nacional Río Reventado · nature reserve
- Reserva Natural Protegida · nature reserve
- Sabanas Indio · nature reserve
- Bromelias · viewpoint
- Cerro Alto Lodge · viewpoint

…and 58 more.

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Cartago Province

- Time zoneUTC−6, no daylight saving · America/Costa_Rica
- CurrencyColon (CRC)
- Country calling code+506
- LanguagesSpanish, English
- Plug typesType A, B · 120 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format5 digits (#####)

### Nearest airports

- Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) · San Jose51 km
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) · San José (Alajuela)60 km

### Nearest railway station

Estación Santiago (Santiago), about 13 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.7 hours, sunrise around 05:14) and shortest in Dec (about 11.6 hours, sunrise around 05:43, sunset around 17:16).

Month Sunrise Sunset Daylight 

Jan 05:55 17:31 11.6 h 

Feb 05:54 17:43 11.8 h 

Mar 05:42 17:46 12.1 h 

Apr 05:24 17:45 12.3 h 

May 05:13 17:47 12.6 h 

Jun 05:14 17:55 12.7 h 

Jul 05:21 17:59 12.6 h 

Aug 05:26 17:53 12.5 h 

Sep 05:24 17:35 12.2 h 

Oct 05:22 17:18 11.9 h 

Nov 05:29 17:10 11.7 h 

Dec 05:43 17:16 11.6 h 

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Cantons of Cartago Province

Canton People per km² Area km² Districts Services 

[Cartago Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/cartago/) 165,195 593 279 11 775 

[La Unión Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/la-union/) 113,582 2,570 44 8 281 

[Turrialba Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/turrialba/) 73,606 46 1,589 12 417 

[Paraíso Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/paraiso/) 63,376 133 477 6 248 

[Oreamuno Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/oreamuno/) 50,292 248 203 5 154 

[El Guarco Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/el-guarco/) 46,638 271 172 4 180 

[Jiménez Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/jimenez/) 16,338 65 250 4 59 

[Alvarado Canton](https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/cartago/alvarado/) 15,524 196 79 3 51 

Source: [Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-cri); [Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, population 2021 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-cri).

## Largest towns in Cartago Province

- Paraíso39,702
- Turrialba28,955
- Cartago26,594
- San Diego16,991
- Concepción14,000
- Tres Ríos10,430
- Cot6,784
- Orosi4,350
- Tobosi4,060
- Tucurrique2,697
- La Suiza2,434
- Pejivalle1,630
- Pacayas1,556
- Capellades993

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above.

## Landscape and landmarks of Cartago Province

Named natural and historic features inside Cartago Province, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

426 rivers and streams; 2 waterfalls; 1 reservoir or tank; 1 dam.

- Catarata Ayil
- Catarata Los Novios
- Embalse de Cachi
- Presa de Cachi
- Quebrada Agua Negra
- Quebrada Aguacate
- Quebrada Aguas Regadas
- Quebrada Alcantarilla
- Quebrada Alumbre
- Quebrada Arena
- Quebrada Ariete
- Quebrada Armado
- Quebrada Armado
- Quebrada Asunción
- Quebrada Atalaya
- Quebrada Avioneta
- Quebrada Azul
- Quebrada Azul
- Quebrada Bajkey
- Quebrada Bakei
- Quebrada Barahona
- Quebrada Barahona
- Quebrada Barreal
- Quebrada Bejuco

…and 406 more.

### Coast and islands

1 bay.

- Bahía Río Grande

### Hills and mountains

68 mountains; 17 hills; 2 valleys.

- Loma Encerrada · 3,587 m
- Valle Lagos · 3,509 m
- Cerro Urán · 3,431 m
- Cerro Sákira · 3,387 m
- Cerro San Carlos · 3,228 m
- Cerro Noche Buena · 3,195 m
- Cerro Jaboncillo · 3,108 m
- Cerro Gurdián · 2,974 m
- Cerro Abarca · 2,785 m
- Cerro Tiendilla · 2,715 m
- Cerro Alto Grande · 2,484 m
- Cerro Pasquí · 2,438 m
- Alto Tres Picos · 2,339 m
- Alto Coyotes · 2,141 m
- Alto Jaular · 2,116 m
- Alto Belén · 2,104 m
- Alto Indias · 2,089 m
- Alto Cedral · 2,067 m
- Cerro Siliko · 1,914 m
- Cerro Buruy · 1,911 m
- Cerro Mirador · 1,898 m
- Alto Velo de Novia · 1,878 m
- Cerro Silencio · 1,849 m
- Alto Cangreja · 1,827 m

…and 63 more.

### Forests and nature

5 nature reserves; 3 parks.

- Guayabo National Park
- Irazú Volcano National Park
- Lankester botanical garden
- Parque Jesús Jiménez Zamora
- Plaza Mayor
- Plaza del Santuario Nacional
- Tapanti National Park
- Turrialba Volcano National Park

### History

2 ancient sites; 1 historic site.

- Guayabo de Turrialba
- Monumento Nacional Guayabo
- Primitivo Emplazamiento de Cartago Mil Quinientos Sesenta y Tres

### Getting around

1 airfield; 1 bridge.

- Moravia de Chirripo
- Puente Fajardo

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Cartago Province and the best time to visit

In Cartago Province, the warmest month is May (average 21 °C) and the coolest is Jan (19 °C). About 2,266 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Oct (285 mm) and the driest Feb (70 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **January to April**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 19 119 

Feb 19 70 

Mar 20 76 

Apr 21 117 

May 21 243 

Jun 21 239 

Jul 20 253 

Aug 21 214 

Sep 21 231 

Oct 20 285 

Nov 20 258 

Dec 20 162 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Cartago Province

Places mapped inside Cartago Province in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.

- Hospitals41
- Banks94
- ATMs8
- Petrol pumps47
- Hotels154
- Shopping malls79
- Schools440
- Colleges and universities49
- Cinemas8
- Pharmacies92
- Restaurants946
- Police stations66
- Dental clinics141

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers

- Where is Cartago Province?In Costa Rica
- What is the population of Cartago Province?544,551 (2021 estimate)
- What is the median age in Cartago Province?About 33 years (2021 estimate)
- What is the population density of Cartago Province?About 176 people per km²
- What borders Cartago Province?Limón Province and San José Province
- What is there to see in Cartago Province?1 Catarata, 2 Cataratas, Antigua Casa de Médicos, Aquiares Estate Coffee
- What time zone is Cartago Province in?UTC−6
- What currency is used in Cartago Province?Colon (CRC)
- What language is spoken in Cartago Province?Spanish, English (main languages nationally)
- What is the largest town in Cartago Province?Paraíso
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in Cartago Province?1 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in Cartago Province?Loma Encerrada (3,587 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Cartago Province?January to April
- How many hospitals are in Cartago Province?41 mapped
- How many banks are in Cartago Province?94 mapped
- How many ATMs are in Cartago Province?8 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Cartago Province?47 mapped
- What is the P-code of Cartago Province?CR3 (OCHA common operational dataset)