Puntarenas

Port and capital of the province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, situated on the west coast 80 km/50 mi west of San José; population (1996) 102,300. Puntarenas is in the north of the province on a narrow strip of land jutting out into the Gulf of Nicoya. The main exports are canned fish, cattle, sugar, bananas, rice, and coconuts. The town is also a holiday resort.

During the 19th century Puntarenas was Costa Rica's main Pacific port, but has become increasingly run down, much of the shipping now being taken by Puerto Limón and the new port of Caldera.

There is an annual fiesta held in July, during which there are parades of boats bedecked with lights and flags, a carnival, boat races, and dancing.

Puntarenas

Province of Costa Rica, extending 1,040 km/646 mi along the west coast from Panama in the south to the Gulf of Nicoya in the north and to the basin of the Río Grande de Térraba in the southeast; area 11,266 sq km/4,350 sq mi; population (1995) 375,600. The main commercial crops are bananas, cacao, edible oil nuts, rice, and coconuts. There is some cattle raising. Three of the country's main ports are on this coast: Puntarenas, also capital of the province, Golfito, and Quepas, with bananas being the main exports for the latter two.

Virtually the whole province lies on the coastal lowlands and has a tropical climate, although it attracts less rain than the east coast. The province is one of the most scenic in the country and also very important to the national economy.