Santa Cruz (canton), Costa Rica
| Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|
| Cantón | |
 Location of Santa Cruz Canton in Guanacaste Province |
|
| Country | Costa Rica |
| Province | Guanacaste |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,312.27 km2 (506.67 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2013) | |
| • Total | 60,495 |
| • Density | 46/km2 (120/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC−06:00) |
Coordinates: 10°16′N 85°39′W / 10.267°N 85.650°W
Santa Cruz is the third canton in Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 1,312.27 square kilometres (506.67 sq mi), and has a population of 60,495. Its capital city is also called Santa Cruz.
The heart-shaped canton is on the northern Pacific coast between Bahía Potrero to the north and the mouth of the Río Montaña to the south. It includes Cabo Velas, the furthermost western point on the Nicoya Peninsula. The Río Tempisque delineates a small portion of the eastern border.
Santa Cruz was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated December 7, 1848.
On September 5, 2012, Santa Cruz was struck by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake, destroying houses in the canton.
The capital city of Santa Cruz, named Santa Cruz, is a typical Costa Rican rural town. Its inhabitants are very diverse and consist mostly of farmers, fishermen, workers or employees of several of the many hotels located in the vicinity. The town is known within Costa Rica for its cultural heritage and many historical traditions. These traditions include the Fiesta de Semana Santa (Easter week celebration) and the traditional bullfights as well as many others.
Every year in Santa Cruz there are a number of festivals which include bull riding ceremonies. These ceremonies, though traditional at heart, lack most of the features seen in Spanish bullfighting traditions. Usually the ring in which the bull is let loose is open to anyone, tourists as well as locals – man, woman or child. The bull riding usually starts with a man being placed on the bull with nothing but a string to hold on to. This man is inevitably, after some time, thrown off. Even though there are always medical personnel in place to supervise the bull riding, severe injuries or even death among the bullriders are not uncommon.
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Wikipedia