Los Santos Zone Zona de los Santos | |
|---|---|
Socioeconomic region | |
 Pirrís hydroelectric dam, located in Los Santos Zone. | |
  Los Santos Zone Location in Costa Rica | |
| Coordinates:9°39′10″N83°59′07″W / 9.652851°N 83.985303°W /9.652851; -83.985303 | |
| Country | Costa Rica |
| Province | San José |
| Area | |
• Total | 863.24 km2 (333.30 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,550 m (5,090 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 57,181 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 |
Los Santos Zone (Spanish:Zona de los Santos) is a mountainous region in theSan José Province ofCosta Rica, in the center-south of the country. It is also known in Spanish asValle de los Santos or justLos Santos.
It corresponds to a wide sector of a series of intermontane valleys composed by the cantons ofTarrazú,Dota andLeón Cortés Castro. The nearby districts ofSan Cristóbal andFrailes, both ofDesamparados canton, are under the socioeconomic influence of the zone.[1]
The name alludes to thecatholic saint names of the districts ofSanta María of Dota,San Marcos,San Carlos andSan Lorenzo of Tarrazú, andSan Pablo,San Andrés,San Antonio,San Isidro of León Cortés Castro.[1]
TheLos Quetzales National Park is located in the area.
The region is recognized as a majorcoffee production zone in the country. Apples are also cultivated in the region.[2]
The region's economy and social fabric has been deeply shaped by emigration to the United States, which started in the 1960s. A majority of the region's residents have family members who today reside in the United States, namely in the state of New Jersey. These immigrants play a critical role in bankrolling the region's coffee industry and keeping families afloat as global coffee prices decline.[3]
The zone has many tourist attractions due to the coffee production of the region, Los Quetzales National Park and the easy access through theInter-American Highway, (Route 2) and close proximity to theGreater Metropolitan Area.[1]