San José is the capital and largest city of the nation of Costa Rica.
San José is located in the center of the country at 9°56′ N 84°5′ W; it is on a mountain plateau at an elevation of about 1,170 meters (3,839 feet) above sea level.
According to Costa Rica 2000 Census, the city had a population of 309,672 people in San José Canton: the latter half of the 20th century was a period of rapid growth for the city, considering that in 1950 its population was a mere 86,900.