This urbanization review “Connecting the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica” focuses on the South Corridor, a lagging (sub)region within Costa Rica’s Greater Metropolitan Area (Gran Area Metropolitana, GAM), and the challenges facing the subregion as a result of rapid and unplanned urbanization, including housing, mobility, planning and municipal finance. The aim is to provide a framework for thinking about possible solutions to these challenges, with a view to improving the living conditions of its residents, connecting them to opportunities in the capital city, and addressing barriers to achieving sustainable development. As the analysis focuses on the different dimensions that constitute processes of rapid urbanization and how to manage them, the findings may be relevant for other urban centers and municipalities that may face a similar set of challenges as the South Corridor does.
