Greater Metropolitan Area (Costa Rica)

"Gran Área Metropolitana" redirects here. For the administrative divisions in Portugal, see Grande Área Metropolitana.
Greater Metropolitan Area
Gran Área Metropolitana
Conurbation
View of the Greater Metropolitan Area facing east
View of the Greater Metropolitan Area facing east
Map
Interactive Map of San José Metropolitan Area
Coordinates: 9°55′59″N 84°04′59″W / 9.933°N 84.083°W / 9.933; -84.083
Country Costa Rica
Province(s) San José
Alajuela
Cartago
Heredia
Area
 • Total2,044 km2 (789 sq mi)
Elevation
1,100 m (3,600 ft)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total3,160,000
Time zoneUTC-6

The Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica (Spanish: Gran Área Metropolitana, GAM) is the largest urban agglomeration in the country, comprising areas of high population density surrounding the capital, San José, which geographically corresponds to the Central Valley and extended to include the Guarco Valley, where some of the cantons of the Cartago province are located.

The proper definition and delimitation corresponds to the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica (INEC) and could vary over time. According to the 2011 census,[1][2] the GAM had a population of 3.1 million inhabitants (about 60% of Costa Rica's population) in an area of 2,044 km² (3.84% of the country's area[3]).

  1. ^ "X Censo Nacional de Población y VI de Vivienda 2011: Resultados Generales" [10th National Population Census and 6th Housing Census 2011: General Results] (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  2. ^ "El Potgam a la luz del Censo 2011 - OPINIÓN - la Nación". Archived from the original on 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference tecplangam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).