Puntarenas, a province in Costa Rica, was once home to indigenous peoples such as the Bruncas, Coctos, and Buricas. It was colonized in 1522 and has since become an important region with a growing population. This province is known for its flat terrain and warm climate, though there are also mountainous regions with cooler temperatures.
Before colonization, the area that now makes up the province was home to the Chorotegas in the Nicoya Peninsula, the Huetares in the central region, and the Bruncas, Coctos, and Buricas in the rest of the region.
The province’s origins can be traced back to a document from the National Archives dated February 13, 1720, which mentioned the pirate Chipperton arriving at a site called Punta de Arena, now known as the Gulf of Nicoya.
This site was the result of a coastal geomorphological process that began in the early 17th century and resulted in a sandbar. It was later used as a port by Don Miguel Antonio de Unanué and was granted the status of Puerto Mayor in 1814 by presbyter Don Florencio del Castillo. In 1840, Don Braulio Carrillo Colina rehabilitated Puntarenas as a port for the state’s commerce, and in 1847, it was declared a free port by decree #2.
During Don Rafael Iglesias’s administration, the Pacific Railroad was constructed, which was completed in 1910. On June 7, 1909, the Constitutional Congress of the Republic promulgated law #56, which established the country’s provinces for general administrative purposes, with Puntarenas being named as a province for the first time.
Today, the province has 11 cantons and is known for its agricultural products such as rice, pineapple, palm oil, banana, sugar cane, beans, and corn, as well as its fishing industry, which is divided into three categories: artisanal, semi-industrial, and industrial.
Some of the rivers that flow through the region include Ario, Lagarto, Barranca, Grande de Tárcoles, Pirrís, Grande de Térraba, and Conde. With an area of 11,277 square kilometers, Puntarenas is a province that offers a rich history and natural beauty to explore.