# Goicoechea (canton)

Goicoechea is a canton in the San José province of Costa Rica.

## History

Goicoechea was created on 6 August 1891 by decree 66.

## Government
### Mayor

According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton. As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the National Liberation Party candidate, Fernando Miguel Chavarría Quirós, was elected mayor of the canton with 25.34% of the votes, with Reina Irene Campos Jiménez and Valeria Fernández Castillo as first and second vice mayors, respectively.
Mayors since the 2002 elections :
| Period | Name | Party |
| 2002–2006 | Carlos Luis Murillo Rodríguez | PUSC |
| 2006–2010 | Óscar Figueroa Fieujeam | PLN |
| 2010–2016 | Óscar Figueroa Fieujeam | PLN |
| 2016–2020 | Ana Lucía Madrigal Faerron | PLN |
| 2020–2024 | Rafael Ángel Vargas Brenes | PLN |
| 2024–2028 | Fernando Miguel Chavarría Quirós | PLN |

### Municipal Council

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called regidores) are elected every four years. Goicoechea's Municipal Council has 9 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor (regidor propietario) is absent. The current president of the Municipal Council is Broad Front member Gloriana Diorela Carmona Seravalli, with Social Christian Unity Party member Carlos Luis Murillo Rodríguez as vice president. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024-2028 period is as follows:
Current composition of the Municipal Council of Goicoechea after the 2024 municipal elections :
| Political parties in the Municipal Council of Goicoechea ||||||
| Political party | Political party | Political party | Regidores | Regidores | Regidores |
| Political party | Political party | Political party | № | Owner | Substitute |
| | National Liberation Party (PLN) | | 2 | Carmen María Martínez Barahona | Carolina Araúz Durán |
| | National Liberation Party (PLN) | | 2 | Rafael Ángel Vargas Brenes | Christian Muñoz Rojas |
| | Citizen's Change Coalition (CCAC) | | 2 | Melissa Valdivia Zúñiga | Rosaura Castellón Navarro |
| | Citizen's Change Coalition (CCAC) | | 2 | Luis Carlos Barquero Araya | Sixto Araya Araya |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | | 2 | Carlos Luis Murillo Rodríguez$^{(VP)}$ | Emilio José Fallas Sandí |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | | 2 | Grettel Virginia Amador Rojas | Marisol Campos Arias |
| | United We Can (UP) | | 1 | William Fallas Bogarin | Alex Gerardo Zúñiga Muñoz |
| | Social Democratic Progress Party (PSD) | | 1 | María Lorena Ortíz Salazar | Gabriela Jiménez Araya |
| | Broad Front (FA) | | 1 | Gloriana Diorela Carmona Seravalli$^{(P)}$ | Johanna Arlete Oviedo Mora |

## Geography

Goicoechea has an area of 31.7 km$^2$ (12.2 sq mi) and a mean elevation of 1,364 m (4,475 ft).
The elongated canton curves its way through the suburban areas just north of San José, climbing steadily into the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range) until it reaches it eastern limit between the Durazno River (on its northern boundary) and the Tiribí River (on the south).

## Districts

The canton of Goicoechea is subdivided into the following districts:
* Guadalupe
* San Francisco
* Calle Blancos
* Mata de Plátano
* Ipís
* Rancho Redondo
* Purral

## Demographics

Goicoechea was estimated to have a population of 132,104 in 2022, up from 115,084 at the time of the 2011 census.
According to a publication by the United Nations Development Programme, Goicoechea has a Human Development Index score of 0.758, ranking it 10th in its province.

## Transportation
### Road transportation

The canton is covered by the following road routes:
* National Route 32
* National Route 39
* National Route 100
* National Route 108
* National Route 109
* National Route 200
* National Route 201
* National Route 205
* National Route 216
* National Route 218

### Rail transportation

The Interurbano Line operated by Incofer goes through this canton.