Canton · San José Province
# Dota Canton

Dota Canton is a canton of Costa Rica in San José Province. It had an estimated 8,000 people in 2021 on 405 km² (about 20 per km²). It is divided into 3 districts. 57 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 99 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.
- 8,000 people (2021)
- 405 km²
- 3 districts
- 99 mapped services

## How many people live in Dota Canton?

Dota Canton had an estimated 8,000 people in 2021 — 0.5% of San José Province, 80th of 83 cantons. There are 982 women for every 1,000 men (below the San José Province figure of 1,013). Spread over 405 km², that is about 20 people per km², 78th of 83 cantons.

22.8% of people are children under 15 and 8.8% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years (it is 34 across San José Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 46 children and older people.
- 0–4 625
- 5–9 610
- 10–14 590
- 15–19 579
- 20–24 727
- 25–29 814
- 30–34 717
- 35–39 543
- 40–44 464
- 45–49 387
- 50–54 422
- 55–59 450
- 60–64 367
- 65–69 276
- 70–74 163
- 75+ 266

Source: Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, population 2021 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Where is Dota Canton?

Dota Canton lies in San José Province, Costa Rica. It borders 7 other cantons: Cartago Canton, Desamparados Canton, El Guarco Canton, León Cortés Castro Canton, Paraíso Canton, Pérez Zeledón Canton and Tarrazú Canton. By area it is the 37th largest of 84 cantons in Costa Rica. It covers 8.1% of San José Province. The centre of Dota Canton is about 44 km in a straight line from San José, the capital. The centre point is at 9.5850° N, 83.8904° W.

Source: Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO).

## Things to see in and around Dota Canton

OpenStreetMap lists 17 named sights in Dota Canton: 6 waterfalls; 5 attractions; 2 nature reserves; 1 monument; 1 viewpoint; 1 aquarium; 1 national park.
- Cascada · waterfall
- Cascada La Bomba · waterfall
- Catarata 1 · waterfall
- Catarata 2 · waterfall
- El Pocerón Waterfall · waterfall
- Tami Lodge Waterfall · waterfall
- Los Quetzales National Park · national park
- Reserva Biológica Cerro Las Vueltas · nature reserve
- Sabanas Vueltas · nature reserve
- Brujo River Valley · viewpoint
- Batsu Garden · attraction
- Café Solís y Cordero · attraction
- Dota · attraction
- General Sherman Tico Tree · attraction
- La Piedra (The Stone) · attraction
- Criadero de Truchas · aquarium
- Monumento a los Caídos de la Guerra Civil de 1948 · monument

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

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

## Know before you go: Dota Canton
- Time zone UTC−6, no daylight saving · America/Costa_Rica
- Currency Colon (CRC)
- Country calling code +506
- Languages Spanish, English
- Plug types Type A, B · 120 V
- Driving side Right
- Postcode format 5 digits (#####)

### Nearest airports
- Quepos Managua Airport (XQP) · Quepos 31 km
- Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) · San Jose 50 km

### Nearest railway station

Paraíso (Paraíso), about 29 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.7 hours, sunrise around 05:15) and shortest in Dec (about 11.6 hours, sunrise around 05:43, sunset around 17:17).

Source: GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03; OurAirports (public domain).

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.

## Districts of Dota Canton
| District | People | per km² | Area km² | Localities | Services |
| Santa María | 5,216 | 56 | 94 | 25 | 21 |
| Copey | 2,082 | 7.5 | 278 | 27 | 70 |
| Jardín | 702 | 21 | 33 | 6 | 8 |

Source: Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO); Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, population 2021 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Villages and localities in Dota Canton

Open gazetteers list 57 villages, towns and localities in Dota Canton. The largest with a recorded population: Copey (288). Settlements here lie between about 1,334 m and 3,108 m above sea level (median 1,973 m).
- Alto Catalina
- Alto Cañazo
- Alto Indio
- Bandera
- Bernardo Ureña
- Botella
- Cabeceras de Tarrazú
- Cedral
- Cima
- Congo
- Copey
- Cruce Chinchilla
- El Brujo
- El Cedral
- El Imas
- El Invu
- Florida
- Garrafa
- Guaria
- Guayabal
- Higueronal
- Jaboncillo
- Jardín
- La Chonta
- La Cima
- La Florida
- La Guaria
- La Máquina
- La Piedra
- Las Ares
- Las Margaritas
- Las Nubes
- Los Quemados
- Madreselva
- Naranjo
- Nubes
- Pedregoso
- Providencia
- Quebrada Grande
- Quebradillas
- Quebrador
- Reyes
- Rincón Solís
- Río Blanco
- Salsipuedes
- San Carlos
- San Gerardo
- San Gerardo de Dota
- San Isidro
- San Joaquín
- San Lucas
- San Rafael
- Santa María
- Trinidad
- Vapor
- Vueltas
- Zapotal

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features; © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

## Landscape and landmarks of Dota Canton

Named natural and historic features inside Dota Canton, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

28 rivers and streams.
- Quebrada Agüero
- Quebrada Bandera
- Quebrada Cabro
- Quebrada Catalina
- Quebrada Chonta
- Quebrada Cima
- Quebrada Escuadra
- Quebrada Garrafa
- Quebrada Gemelas
- Quebrada Grande
- Quebrada Guaria
- Quebrada Laguna Cerrada
- Quebrada Loaiza
- Quebrada Mata
- Quebrada Ojo de Agua
- Quebrada Palmital
- Quebrada Pirranga
- Quebrada Rivas
- Quebrada Salto
- Quebrada Seca
- Quebrada Vueltas
- Quebrada Yases
- Río Blanco
- Río Pedregoso

…and 4 more.

### Hills and mountains

20 mountains.
- Cerro Sábila · 3,342 m
- Cerro Estaquero · 3,155 m
- Cerro Vueltas · 3,054 m
- Alto Indio · 3,031 m
- Alto Miramar · 2,934 m
- Alto Catalina · 2,919 m
- Cerro Palangana · 2,918 m
- Alto Cañazo · 2,885 m
- Cerro Roble · 2,836 m
- Cerro Baraja · 2,823 m
- Alto Roble · 2,529 m
- Cerro San Francisco · 2,295 m
- Cerro Chonta · 2,289 m
- Alto Miramar · 2,109 m
- Cerro Camorra · 2,096 m
- Alto Vara Blanca · 2,095 m
- Cerro Calera · 2,069 m
- Alto San Lucas · 1,991 m
- Cerro Milagro · 1,720 m
- Cerro Nene · 1,291 m

### Forests and nature

1 nature reserve.
- Los Quetzales National Park

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

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

## Weather in Dota Canton and the best time to visit

In Dota Canton, the warmest month is Apr (average 22 °C) and the coolest is Jan (21 °C). About 2,258 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Oct (277 mm) and the driest Feb (60 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are January to March.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Month | Average °C | Rain mm |
| Jan | 21 | 101 |
| Feb | 21 | 60 |
| Mar | 22 | 73 |
| Apr | 22 | 125 |
| May | 22 | 253 |
| Jun | 22 | 240 |
| Jul | 21 | 266 |
| Aug | 21 | 226 |
| Sep | 21 | 233 |
| Oct | 21 | 277 |
| Nov | 21 | 254 |
| Dec | 21 | 150 |

Source: NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Dota Canton

Places mapped inside Dota Canton in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.
- Hospitals 1
- Banks 1
- Petrol pumps 1
- Hotels 41
- Shopping malls 1
- Schools 14
- Pharmacies 1
- Restaurants 37
- Police stations 2

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

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

## Quick answers
- Where is Dota Canton? In San José Province, Costa Rica
- What is the population of Dota Canton? 8,000 (2021 estimate)
- What is the median age in Dota Canton? About 30 years (2021 estimate)
- What is the population density of Dota Canton? About 20 people per km²
- What borders Dota Canton? Cartago Canton, Desamparados Canton, El Guarco Canton, León Cortés Castro Canton, Paraíso Canton, Pérez Zeledón Canton and Tarrazú Canton
- What is there to see in Dota Canton? Batsu Garden, Brujo River Valley, Café Solís y Cordero, Cascada
- What time zone is Dota Canton in? UTC−6
- What currency is used in Dota Canton? Colon (CRC)
- What language is spoken in Dota Canton? Spanish, English (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Dota Canton? 57 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Dota Canton? Settlements lie between 1,334 m and 3,108 m
- What is the highest point in Dota Canton? Cerro Sábila (3,342 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Dota Canton? January to March
- How many hospitals are in Dota Canton? 1 mapped
- How many banks are in Dota Canton? 1 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Dota Canton? 1 mapped
- What is the P-code of Dota Canton? CR117 (OCHA common operational dataset)

At a glance
- Type: Canton
- Area: 404.5 km²
- P-code: CR117
- Province: San José Province

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Canonical: https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/san-jose/dota/ · Updated 2026-11-03 · Data: national censuses and statistics offices (sources named in each section); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); Overture Maps; GeoNames; NASA POWER.