# San José

> capital of Costa Rica

**Wikidata**: [Q3070](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3070)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_José,_Costa_Rica)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/san-jose-q3070

## Summary
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, situated in the San José Province. Officially founded on May 21, 1737, it serves as the nation's political center and is divided into postal codes 10101–10111. The city is located at an elevation of 1,161 meters above sea level and had an estimated population of 335,007 as of 2025.

## Key Facts
- **Country:** Costa Rica
- **Inception:** May 21, 1737
- **Population:** 335,007 (2025 estimation); 342,188 (2018); 288,054 (2011)
- **Area:** 44.62 square kilometres
- **Elevation:** 1,161 metres
- **Time Zone:** UTC−06:00
- **Official Language:** Spanish
- **Local Dialing Code:** 506
- **UN/LOCODE:** CRSJO
- **Coordinates:** 9.932738888888888, -84.07961388888889
- **Head of Government:** Diego Miranda Méndez (start time: May 1, 2024)
- **Website:** https://www.msj.go.cr/
- **Social Media:** Twitter/X (@munidesanjose), Facebook (munidesanjose), Instagram (munidesanjose)
- **Named After:** Joseph
- **Member of:** Creative Cities Network (City of Design, since 2019)
- **Demonym:** Joséfien (masculine singular), Joséfienne (feminine singular)

## FAQs
**What is the administrative role of San José?**
San José acts as the capital of Costa Rica, the capital of the San José Province, and the capital of the San José Canton.

**Who is the head of the municipal government?**
Diego Miranda Méndez became the head of government on May 1, 2024, succeeding Johnny Araya Monge, who served from May 1, 2016, to May 1, 2024.

**Which international cities are twinned with San José?**
The city maintains twin-city relationships with numerous global entities including Madrid, Taipei (since 1984), Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Miami-Dade County, Santiago, and Saltillo, among others.

**What demographic data is available for San José?**
The city's population was recorded as 288,054 in 2011 and 342,188 in 2018. A 2025 estimation places the population at 335,007.

## Why It Matters
San José functions as the primary political and administrative hub of Costa Rica, hosting the central government and serving as the country's largest urban center. Its inclusion in the Creative Cities Network as a City of Design since 2019 highlights its cultural significance on a global scale. The city's history and development are documented in major reference works such as the Encyclopædia Britannica and the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary. It is also a vital node in international relations, maintaining sister-city pacts with major capitals and cities across four continents.

## Notable For
- Being the capital and largest city of Costa Rica.
- Recognition as a UNESCO City of Design in 2019.
- Hosting a high volume of international diplomatic relationships, with over 20 twinned administrative bodies.
- Holding distinct identifiers across major global authority files including the Library of Congress (n79089396) and the Bibliothèque nationale de France (145757810).
- Being described in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica as "San José de Costa Rica."

## Body

### Governance and Administration
San José is an administrative territorial entity and a big city classified as the largest city in Costa Rica. It serves as the capital of the nation, the San José Province, and the San José Canton. The municipal government operates online via the official portal https://www.msj.go.cr/ and maintains a presence on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram under the handle "munidesanjose." The local dialing code is 506.

The executive leadership has seen a recent transition. Johnny Araya Monge served as head of government from May 1, 2016, to May 1, 2024. He was succeeded by Diego Miranda Méndez, who assumed office on May 1, 2024.

### Geography and Demographics
The city is geographically positioned at coordinates 9.932738888888888, -84.07961388888889 and covers a total area of 44.62 square kilometres. It is situated at a high altitude of 1,161 metres above sea level. The timezone for the region is UTC−06:00.

Population records indicate growth and fluctuation over the last decade. A 2011 census recorded 288,054 inhabitants, while 2018 figures showed 342,188 residents. A 2025 estimation projects a slight decrease to 335,007. Residents are referred to by the demonyms Joséfien (masculine singular) and Joséfienne (feminine singular).

### International Relations and Culture
San José maintains a vast network of twinned administrative bodies and international partnerships. Key twinned locations include Kfar Saba, San Jose (United States), Santiago, Lima, Madrid, Santo Domingo, and Taipei (a relationship established in 1984). Other partners include Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Miami-Dade County, Saltillo, and Okayama.

Culturally, the city is a member of the Creative Cities Network, designated specifically as a "City of Design" starting in 2019.

### History and Etymology
The city was officially founded on May 21, 1737. It is named after the biblical figure Joseph. Detailed historical context is available through the associated "timeline of San José, Costa Rica."

### Identification and Metadata
San José holds extensive identification across digital and library systems. Key identifiers include:
- **Library Systems:** Library of Congress Authority ID (n79089396), VIAF ID (262659201), GND ID (4116320-5), Bibliothèque nationale de France ID (145757810), National Library of Spain ID (XX453200).
- **Digital Encyclopedias:** Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/San-Jose-Costa-Rica), Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID (san-jose-13), Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (3534302).
- **Technical IDs:** GeoNames ID (3621849), MusicBrainz Area ID (411f07cd-cfb2-44a3-8f7a-9d4da31a0450), UN/LOCODE (CRSJO).

The entity is further categorized under the WordNet 3.1 Synset ID (08754209-n) and is listed as a topic in WikiProject Cities and WikiProject Costa Rica.

### Visual Documentation
Visual documentation of the city includes an aerial view, a cityscape image, a locator map, and heraldic symbols such as its coat of arms and flag. A specific nighttime view and a page banner are also available in the public domain.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/este-es-diego-miranda-el-historiador-y-zapoteno-de/5BOF4FQFS5FPPNLMEREXL2E4LM/story/)
2. archINFORM
3. [Source](https://vanguardia.com.mx/coahuila/saltillo/saltillo-tiene-pacto-de-hermanamiento-con-15-ciudades-solo-con-austin-mantiene-contacto1-EVVG3490150)
4. [Source](http://mail.camara.rj.gov.br/APL/Legislativos/contlei.nsf/50ad008247b8f030032579ea0073d588/3f4147a57ed8aa3483257e8800663664?OpenDocument)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Czech National Authority Database
8. MusicBrainz
9. [Costa Rica Cities by Population 2025](https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/costa-rica)
10. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
11. GeoNames
12. BBC Things
13. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/cr.htm)
14. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
15. [Source](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/San-Jose;3971848.html)
16. GF WordNet
17. SNK authority file
18. museum-digital
19. YouTube API