Quepos (canton)
Quepos is the sixth canton in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica. The cantón covers an area of 543.77 km²,[1] and has a population of 29,569.[2] Its capital city is Quepos, also known as Puerto Quepos.
Quepos | |
|---|---|
Cantón | |
 Location of Quepos Canton in Puntarenas Province | |
| Country | Costa Rica |
| Province | Puntarenas |
| Founded | 30 October 1948 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 543.77 km2 (209.95 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2013) | |
| • Total | 29,569 |
| • Density | 54/km2 (140/sq mi) |
It was named Aguirre until February 2015, when its name was changed following a vote in the Legislative Assembly. The name "Quepos" refers to the Quepoa people who inhabited this area in pre-Columbian and colonial times.
Geography
The county lies along the central Pacific coast between the mouths of the Río Damas and Río Barú. The northeastern border runs through high, remote coastal mountain ranges. The county is most famous for being the home of the Manuel Antonio National Park, the most visited national park in Costa Rica.
The cantón of Quepos is subdivided into 3 distritos (districts):
| District | Population |
|---|---|
| Quepos | 21,938 |
| Savegre | 3,704 |
| Naranjito | 3,927 |
History
The "cantón" (county) was created by a decree of October 30, 1948.