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San Jos, Costa RicaSan Jos is the capital and largest city of the nation of Costa Rica. It is also the capital of San Jos province. San Jos is located in the center of the country at 10.0 N, 84.2 W; it is on a mountain plateau at an elevation of about 1,170 meters (some 4,000 feet) above sea level. In 1997 the city had an estimated population of 329,154 people: the latter half of the 20th century was a period of rapid growth for the city, considering that in 1950 its population was a mere 86,900. History San Jos was a small village of little significance until 1824. In that year, Costa Rica's first elected head of state, liberal Juan Mora Fernndez, decided to move the government of Costa Rica from the old Spanish colonial capital of Cartago and make a fresh start with a new city. This was a time of much optimism in the newly independent nation of Central America, of which Costa Rica was at that time a state (see: History of Central America). The new capital of San Jos grew rapidly. Because of its late 18th century origin, San Jos has little of the Spanish colonial architecture common in most other Latin American capitals. The University of Costa Rica was established here in 1843. San Jos also serves as the headquarters of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Since then, it has grown rapidly and extended in the Central Valley. Along with Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago and other cities, the population reached 1.5 million in 2004. The cities of Heredia, Alajuela and San Jos are very close to each other. The Juan Santamara International Airport and the Palacio de los Deportes are located in the metropolitan area, GAM San Jos. Important places in the city include the Banco Central de Costa Rica, La Sabana Metropolitan Park, Avenida Central (which is one of the major commercial areas in the city). The Central Park and la Plaza de la Cultura are visited by thousands of workers and tourists every day. The Melico Salazar Theater (National Theatre) and the Cathedral are landmarks in the central area. In the south, the Clnica Bblica (a private hospital), la Estacin al Pacfico (an old train station used for a cultural festival attended by over 100,000 in 2004) are important buildings. Nightlife There are numerous bars around San Jos, with 3 major 'nightlife centers': San Jos is Costa Rica's main transportation hub due to its central location, and tourist traveling around the country usually make stop-overs there. It is served by Juan Santa Maria International Airport.
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