ALAJUELA, one of the four plateau cities containing most of the inhabitants of Costa Rica, Central America; the population in 1934 was 9,782. Alajuela is situated 14m. W. of San Jose on a branch line of the Costa Rica railway and is also accessible by highway. It lies on the slope of Poas volcano and is one of the chief centres of the coffee industry of Costa Rica. It is also the centre of the sugar trade of Costa Rica, this product coming from the adjoining country in the lower altitudes. A number of villages, ranging in population from i,000 to 4,000, are tributary to Alajuela.