Belén is the name of the seventh canton in the province of Heredia in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 12.15 km²[1], and has a population of 21,085[2]. The capital city of the canton is San Antonio. The area is well known locally for its inland chalk cliffs.
The compact canton is on the western side of the General Cañas Freeway (Autopista General Cañas) midway between the national capital city of San José and the Juan Santamaría International Airport.
The canton of Belén is subdivided into three districts (distritos):[3]
| District | Postal code | Alt. (m) | Area (km2) | Pop. (2008) | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | 40701 | 912 | 3.51 | 11,843 | |
| Barrios: Chompipes (part), Escobal, Labores (part), San Vicente, Zaiquí | |||||
| La Ribera (Ribera,Rivera) |
40702 | 953 | 4.17 | 6,381 | |
| Barrios: Fuente, Labores (part), Vista Linda, Cristo Rey (part) | |||||
| Poblados: Echeverría (part) | |||||
| La Asunción (Asunción) |
40703 | 945 | 4.47 | 4,176 | |
| Barrios: Arbolito, Bonanza, Bosques de Doña Rosa, Cariari (part), Chompipes (part), Cristo Rey (part) | |||||
The canton was established by law on June 8, 1907.