# Alajuelita (canton)

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

## History

Alajuelita was created on 4 June 1909 by decree 58. The first settlements in the area occurred by 1650. The name "Alajuelita" comes from a diminutive form of the name of Alajuela Province due to original settlers coming from that province.

## Geography

Alajuelita has an area of 21.47 km$^2$ (8.29 sq mi) and a mean elevation of 1,194 m (3,917 ft).
The odd-shaped canton reaches southwest from the suburbs of the national capital city of San José. It is delineated by the Tiribí River on the northeast, Cañas River on the east, Poás River on the southeast, and the Cerros de Escazú at it far southwestern end. The Santuario Nacional Santo Cristo de Esquipulas is located in this canton along with the San Miguel Hill, whose metallic cross built at its peak is definitely one of the more beloved landmarks in Costa Rican Central Region.

## 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 New Generation Party candidate, María del Rosario Siles Fernández, was elected mayor of the canton with 47.78% of the votes, with Jonathan Miguel Arrieta Ulloa and Javiera Tatiana Centeno Barboza as first and second vice mayors, respectively.
Mayors of Alajuelita since the 2002 elections :
| Period | Name | Party |
| 2002–2006 | Víctor Hugo Echavarría Ureña | PUSC |
| 2006–2010 | Tómas Poblador Soto | PLN |
| 2010–2016 | Víctor Hugo Echavarría Ureña | PUSC |
| 2016–2020 | Modesto Alpizar Luna | PNG |
| 2020–2024 | Modesto Alpizar Luna | PNG |
| 2024–2028 | Michaell Álvarez Quirós | PNG |

### Municipal Council

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called regidores) are elected every four years. Alajuelita's Municipal Council has 7 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 the Social Christian Unity Party member Henry David Salazar Quesada, with New Generation Party member Grettel Andrea Murillo Quirós as vice president. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:
Current composition of the Municipal Council of Alajuelita after the 2024 municipal elections :
| Political parties in the Municipal Council of Alajuelita ||||||
| Political party | Political party | Political party | Regidores | Regidores | Regidores |
| Political party | Political party | Political party | № | Owner | Substitute |
| | New Generation Party (PNG) | | 3 | Laura Alicia Araúz Tenorio | Rosibel Calderón Chinchilla |
| | New Generation Party (PNG) | | 3 | José Alix Reyes Gómex | Hector Alonso Hidalgo Sánchez |
| | New Generation Party (PNG) | | 3 | Grettel Andrea Murillo Quirós$^{(VP)}$ | Flor Zúñiga Rodríguez |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | | 2 | Henry David Salazar Quesada$^{(P)}$ | Luis Fernando Chinchilla Retana |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | | 2 | Patricia Mayela Guido Chinchilla | Katherine Marcela Mora Bonilla |
| | National Liberation Party (PLN) | | 1 | Leyda María Badilla Sánchez | Carolina Mora Sibaja |
| | Our Town Party (PNP) | | 1 | José Alberto Páez Zúñiga | Esteban Emilio Chavarría Villalta |

## Districts

The canton of Alajuelita is subdivided into the following districts:
* Alajuelita
* San Josecito
* San Antonio
* Concepción
* San Felipe

## Demographics

Alajuelita had an estimated population of 81,012 people in 2022, up from 77,603 at the time of the 2011 census.
In 2022, Alajuelita had a Human Development Index of 0.712.

## Education

* Escuela San Felipe, founded 1966

## Transportation
### Road transportation

The canton is covered by the following road routes:
* National Route 105
* National Route 110
* National Route 177
* National Route 217