Nosara Census 2024
History of Nosara: From Farming Roots to Today's Destination
The history of Nosara reaches far back: archaeological evidence suggests human presence in the territory for about two thousand years. The area has Chorotega heritage and preserves a Chorotega-Mangue legend about Garza. On the Nosara Census site, oral memory and historical cartography were gathered to reconstruct how the district went from farming to a destination for tourism and residential migration.
Origins and Chorotega heritage
Archaeological evidence suggests human presence in the territory of Nosara for about two thousand years. The area has Chorotega heritage, and a Chorotega-Mangue legend about Garza is preserved.
Later, the founding families arrived to work the land, growing rice, maize and beans. To reconstruct that era, the project gathered oral memory from older adults along with historical cartography, including maps and aerial views of the district from 1944.
A century of transformation
Over a century, Nosara went from a farming district to a destination for tourism and residential migration. Growth was rapid: from 2,875 residents in the year 2000 to 8,716 in 2024.
That change transformed the district's economy and landscape, and it is part of what the community census set out to document with data and with the memory of those who lived through the process.
A census that recovers memory
The 2024 census is Costa Rica's first community-based district census, carried out by the ADC and the ConoSer Association with technical advice from the INEC.
As part of the work, the site publishes local history articles you can read and explore: "Nosara: a century of history," "The first Nosara families," "The legend of Garza," "The first person born in Nosara" and "Maps and aerial views of Nosara from 1944.".
Frequently asked questions
What is the origin of Nosara?
Archaeological evidence suggests human presence in the territory for about two thousand years. The area has Chorotega heritage and preserves a Chorotega-Mangue legend about Garza.
What did the founding families do?
The founding families arrived to work the land and grew rice, maize and beans. The project gathered oral memory and historical cartography, including maps and aerial views from 1944.
How much has Nosara's population grown?
In a century, Nosara went from a farming district to a destination for tourism and residential migration, growing from 2,875 residents in the year 2000 to 8,716 in 2024.
What makes the 2024 census special?
It is Costa Rica's first community-based district census, carried out by the ADC and the ConoSer Association with technical advice from the INEC.