Pérez Zeledón (canton)

Perez Zeledon is the name of the 19th canton of the province of San Jose in Costa Rica. The canton has an area of ,. It has a population of 134,534. The capital city of the canton is San Isidro de El General.
The canton's boundaries are made by Rio Savegre river, Rio Guabo river, and the coastal mountain ranges. The canton has the highest mountains peaks of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Talamanca Mountain Range) on the east. In the middle of the canton, the Rio General river goes from north to south.
Districts
The canton of Perez Zeledon is divided into 11 districts (distritos):
San Isidro de El General
General
Daniel Flores
Rivas
San Pedro
Platanares
Pejibaye
Cajon
Baru
Rio Nuevo
Paramo
History
The canton of Perez Zeledon was made 9 October 1931. It was granted 4 districts: Urena, El General, Daniel Flores, and Rivas. Urena was the capital.
Early Costa Rican Settlements
At the end of the 19th century, between 1870 and 1899, there were a few families living in the El General valley. The hamlets (Spanish: Caserios) of El General, Palmares, Rivas, and Urena were populated from 1900 onward.
The Caserio of Urena grew more. By 1911, during Ricardo Jimenez Oreamuno's government, the Refuges of Ojo de Agua, El Cerro de la Muerte, and Division were created. These refuges further advanced the growth of the region.
Costa Rican Civil War
San Isidro de El General, Perez Zeledon's capital, was given the title of Ciudad Martir. This was because of the civil war of 1948 that happened here.
Decree No274 gave the city its title. This decree established official recognition of the city's participation in the civil war of 1948. A section of the decree states (in Spanish):
la Junta Fundadora de la Segunda Republica, apreciando el noble esfuerzo y la valiosa contribucion de San Isidro de El General, se siente obligada a hacer un publico y oficial reconocimiento de tan loable conducta para que de ninguna manera quede ella relegada al olvido, sino que constantemente sea exaltada como merecen los grandes hechos dignos de vida eterna en los fastos nacionales.
Which in English would translate into:
The Founding Group of the Second Republic, appreciating the effort and contribution of San Isidro de El General, wants to make a public and official recognition of such conduct. Let it constantly be praised as good things are worthy of eternal national praise.
Perez Zeledon was also the location of major battles during the Costa Rican Civil War. One battle was the Battle of San Isidro de El General. It happened around 6:30 am. 200 government forces fought the rebels at the city's central park. The battle was won by Jose Figueres Ferrer and his rebels. This battle secured the southern pacific region of Costa Rica for the rebels.
Economy
The canton of Perez Zeledon's economy is characterized by agriculture, livestock, trade, industry and tourism. One fact that has helped this economy is the canton's geographic location; it is a 'bridge' between Costa Rica's capital (San Jose) and the southern areas that border Panama.
Important farming activities:
Sugar Cane cultivation
Coffee
Tiquizque cultivation
Banana cultivation
Blackberry cultivation
The first two products are the most important in the region.
Livestock activities are also important. Pigs and cattle being the most important. The cattle is used for meat and dairy products.
Commercial activities have also become important. There are important credit unions, banks, local companies, media, and various other companies of the San Jose operating in the canton.
Tourism
Its main attraction is ecological diversity. There is the Chirripo National Park (one of the highest peak in Central America and the Caribbean).
Another park in the area is the Parque Internacional La Amistad.
Education
The first elementary school in Perez Zeledon was established during Ascension Esquivel Ibarra's government (1902-1906). It was called Escuela Mixta de Urena and was in the Urena district, south of San Isidro de El General's central park. After the Costa Rican Civil War the school was moved to a new building. It currently has the name "Escuela 12 de Marzo", in honor of the start of the Costa Rican Civil War. It had just ended when the school was rebuilt at its current location.