Zacapa
| Zacapa | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coordinates: 14 ° 58 ′ N , 89 ° 32 ′ W Zacapa on the map of Guatemala
|
||
| Basic data | ||
| Country | Guatemala | |
| Department | Zacapa | |
| City foundation | 1871 | |
| Residents | 59,089 (2002) | |
| - in the metropolitan area | 30,037 | |
| City insignia | ||
 |
||
| Detailed data | ||
| surface | 78 km 2 | |
| Population density | 758 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| height | 226 m | |
| Post Code | 19001 | |
| Time zone | UTC −6 | |
| City patron | Virgen de la Concepción (Festival: December 4th to 9th) | |
 |
||
Zacapa is a city in Guatemala with a population of around 30,000 . It is the administrative seat of the Department of Zacapa and the large municipality of the same name ( Municipio ), which extends over 78 km² and has around 60,000 inhabitants.
Location and climate
The city is 146 km northeast of Guatemala City at an altitude of 226 m. You can reach Zacapa via the trunk road to the Atlantic (CA 9) and CA 10, which turns south at Río Hondo. Zacapa is located on the southern edge of the Motagua valley . The climate is dry and hot.
Adjacent municipalities are Huité in the west, Estanzuela in the northwest, Río Hondo in the north, Gualán in the northeast and La Unión in the east. In the south, Zacapa borders the Chiquimula department .
Economy and tourism
Zacapa is a trading center for the surrounding farms. The most important products are sugar cane and hard cheese . Zacapa is particularly known for its tobacco and rum , which are also exported abroad.
In 1896 Zacapa became a railway junction . From the railway line from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios , the branch line to Chiquimula and El Salvador branched off here . Rail traffic was suspended until further notice in 2007.
Zacapa has a cathedral that is well worth seeing .
The 2nd Brigada de Infantería “General Rafael Carrera” of the Guatemalan Army has its headquarters in Zacapa .
history
Zacapa became the administrative seat of the department of the same name on November 10, 1871 , but only received city rights with the completion of the railway line in 1896 . Before 1871 it was a municipality of the Chiquimula department .