Puntarenas is a city located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica within the Puntarenas Province. It serves as the seat of the Municipality of Puntarenas canton, which includes the districts of Puntarenas, Chacarita, and El Roble.
As the primary city of the province's first canton, Puntarenas is designated as the capital city of the Puntarenas Province according to the administrative divisions of Costa Rica.