Partido de Nicoya

The Partido de Nicoya was a major part of what is now the Guanacaste province in Costa Rica.

The Nicoya region was organized in 1554 as a Corregimiento or Alcaldía Mayor, under the direct control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

In 1812, the Spanish Constitution divided the territory of the Kingdom of Guatemala into political parts.

In 1820, upon the administrative division of the Province of Nicaragua y Costa Rica, Nicoya became one of its Partidos, ruled by a Jefe Político Subalterno, in turn ruled by the Jefe Político Superior resident in León.

Since then, the coat of arms of Nicoya states the words: "De la patria por nuestra voluntad" which could be translated as "part of the homeland by our own will".