Carrillo is the fifth canton of the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, known as "El Cantón Arqueológico Nacional". It was created on June 16,1877 by Presidential Decree No.22, during the provisional presidential term of Dr. Vicente Herrera Zeledón. The canton was formed with the towns of Siete Cueros, Boquerones, La Villa and Tamarindo. The oldest population of the canton of Carrillo is Sardinal, proof of this is the mention made of the place, following the visit made at the end of 1794, by Brother Antonio Muñoz, in a collection of alms that he made in several towns of the Nicoya Party.
In the eighteenth century a group of ladino mestizos settled on the west bank of the middle course of the Tempisque River, where there was a grove of trees called Sietecueros, giving rise to the population that today corresponds to the city of Philadelphia, head of the canton. The name of Philadelphia was given in 1877 in homage to the soldier Filadelfo Soto. According to the 2011 National Census, the population of the canton was 37,122 inhabitants, of which 12.1% were born abroad. The same census highlights that there were 10,141 occupied homes, of which 61.4% were in good condition and there were overcrowding problems in 12.2% of the dwellings.62.3% of its inhabitants lived in urban areas. Among other data, the level of literacy in the canton is 97.8%, with an average schooling of 8.1 years. The same census details that the economically active population is distributed as follows: Primary Sector: 13.3%. Secondary Sector: 16.0%.
Tertiary Sector: 70.7% Its territory is 577.54 square kilometers, with a population density of 64.28 inhabitants / km². Currently its municipal mayor is Carlos Cantillo A. Del Partido Liberación Nacional. The economy is based mainly on agro-industry and in recent years tourism has become an important factor in the economy of its inhabitants. By decree it is known as the archaeological canton of Costa Rica.