Santa Clara is a ''corregimiento'' (subdistrict) in Renacimiento District,

Chiriquí Province Chiriquí () is a province of Panama located on the western coast; it is the second most developed province in the country, after Panamá Province. Its capital is the city of David. It has a total area of 6,490.9 km2, with a population of 47 ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

. It has a land area of and had a population of 2,642 as of 2010, giving it a population density of . The corregimiento was created by Law 41 of April 30, 2003. The area includes a transient population of Ngöbe and other indigenous people who labor in the fields. It is located approximately northwest of Volcán. Rio Sereno, the governmental seat of the Renacimiento district, and the Costa Rican border are about 6 kilometers to the west. Its primary source of income is

coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

, supplemented by other crops. It is home to Cafe Duran (whose coffee is widely distributed in Panama), Finca Hartman, Cafe Balboa and Cafe Flor de Chiriquí, and some APAASAC producers of organic, shade grown coffee. The rich volcanic soil also produces plantains, various types of beans, oranges, avocados and more.

Climate and natural resources

Santa Clara receives ample rainfall, estimated at per year. The rainy season extends from April through mid-January. At an altitude of , the area is cooler than coastal Panama. Temperatures range from . The

Mesoamerican Biological Corridor The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) is a region that consists of Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and some southern states of Mexico. The area acts as a natural land bridge from South America to North ...

(in Spanish ''Corridor Biológico Mesoamericano'') passes nearby. As a result, the area attracts a wide variety of migrating birds. The Chiriquí Highlands, in which Santa Clara is located, forms part of the Talamanca Mountain Range.

Government

Santa Clara has a representative in the regional government of Renacimiento located in Río Serreno.

Infrastructure

Santa Clara has electrical service which reaches most houses. The water system is near universal as well; major improvements were made in 2010. Trash service is provided through the regional government, but this started only in 2010. Prior to this, locals burned or buried their trash, including plastic and glass. The area is served by a winding road that goes to the communities of Río Sereno in the west and Volcán to the east.

Health

The community has a health center staffed once a week by nurses. Every other month doctors hold a clinic. There is a larger clinic in Rio Sereno. The nearest hospital is in

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

, more than an hour away by ambulance. There is no helicopter service. Locals report some early teen pregnancy and some churches have sponsored sex education talks organized by

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...

volunteers.

Transport

Santa Clara is served by taxis from Río Sereno, private vehicles and buses. Buses leave Sereno for David about every 45–50 minutes, with exceptions due to a variety of reasons. Buses are of the type called 'Coasters', seating about 24 people but at often filled with standing passengers. Fares to David as of 2010 are $3.90 and take 2 hours, to Volcan $1.90, taking 45 minutes. Both trips involve travel on the very windy, hilly road between Santa Clara and Volcán.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Clara, Chiriqui Corregimientos of Chiriquí Province es:Santa Clara (Chiriquí)