The
Central Valley is a plateau and a geographic region of central
Costa Rica. The land in the valley is a relative plain, despite being surrounded by several mountains and volcanos, the latter part of the
Central Range. The region houses almost three quarters of Costa Ricans, and includes the capital and most populous city,
San José. The valley is shared among the
provinces of
Alajuela,
Heredia,
San José and
Cartago. The region occupies an area of 11,366 km², more than a fifth of the country, and is drained by the
Tárcoles River.