San José ("Saint Joseph", , ) is the capital of
Costa Rica, head of the province of San José, and the nation's largest city. Located in the
Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this
Central American nation. The population of
San José Canton is 288,054, though the
metropolitan area stretches beyond the canton limits and comprises a third of the country's population. It is named in honor of
Joseph of Nazareth.