Escazú, Costa Rica

Escazú, officially San Miguel de Escazú, is the capital city of the canton of Escazú in the province of San José in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the district that includes the city, a subnational entity with 14,815 inhabitants.

The area is inhabited primarily by upper-mid to high income families, and known in the Costa Rican collective consciousness as home to the country's economic elite.

Generalities

The city lies at an elevation of 1,101 meters above sea level on the northeast slopes of the Cerros de Escazú, 9 kilometers west of the national capital city of San José. The climate is mostly tropical: it is not unknown for Escazú to experience rainfall on a day in which San José is dry and sunny. November and December frequently bring high winds.

A Modern City

Escazú is one of the most affluent places in Costa Rica, with many expensive restaurants and shops, and has some of the most exclusive shopping and dining venues in the country. It has new developments, like Avenida Escazu, which holds the country's first IMAX theater. Avenida Escazu is a modern outdoor mall/center. This mall has many international brands like Max Mara, Women's Secret, Cortefiel, and Adolfo Dominguez, and the country's first Starbucks. Another unique feature of Escazu is that it is home to one of the most luxurious malls in Costa Rica, Multiplaza Escazu, with stores from large international brand names like Zara, Armani Exchange, MNG, Guess, Lacoste, Tiffany and Co., Carolina Herrera, Salvatore Ferragamo, among others. Many locations in the city are prized for their scenic outlooks. This zone is one of the most developed parts in the metropolitan area, populated by families with high incomes. Escazú contains many apartment blocks and residential areas.

Escazú (canton)

Escazú is the name of the second canton in the province of San José in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 34.49 km². The canton lies west of the San José Canton and its whole territory is part of San José Metropolitan Area. According to 2011 census data, its population is 56,509.

The canton was one of the earliest established in the country, in December 7, 1848. As the metropolitan area has expanded Escazú has become a suburban area on the west side of the national capital city of San José. It is delineated by the Río Tiribí on its northern border. The peak of Cerro Cedral in the Cerros de Escazú marks the southern limit of the canton.

The canton's urban areas are home to 79.8% of its population. Children under the age of 10 account for 17.88% of the population, while 6.05% are over 65.

According to a 2012 United Nations Development Programme, Escazú ranks as the 4th highest canton in Costa Rica in so far as human development.

Districts

The canton of Escazú is subdivided into three districts (distritos):