Puntarenas

views updated

Puntarenas (pōōntärā´näs), town (1995 est. pop. 40,706), capital of Puntarenas prov., W Costa Rica, on the Gulf of Nicoya. Formerly the country's principal port on the Pacific, it has been supplanted by the port at Calderas. There is also substantial coastal trade. Other major industries are fishing (especially for shark and tuna) and fish processing. An international airport is located at Puntarenas.