Juan Santamaría International Airport (international code SJO) is located in 20 km from San Jose, Costa Rica was until recently the only international airport in Costa Rica. It is named after a courageous drummer boy who died in 1856 defending his country against forces led by American adventurer William Walker. The airport, which is Costa Rica's primary airport, serves of one million people each year, a great number of them tourists from Canada and the United States. San José is the capital and largest city of the nation of Costa Rica. ... The Republic of Costa Rica is a republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south-southeast. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... William Walker William Walker (May 8, 1824 - September 12, 1860) was a U.S. physician, lawyer, journalist, adventurer, and soldier of fortune who attempted to conquer several Latin American countries in the mid-19th century. ...

Alajuela, the birthplace of Juan Santamaría, is located 3 km from the airport Juan Santamaría ( August 29, 1831 - April 11, 1856), is officially recognized as the national hero of the Republic of Costa Rica. ...