Santa Cruz Verapaz
Santa Cruz Verapaz on the map of Guatemala
Santa Cruz Verapaz is a small town in Guatemala and administrative seat of the greater community ( municipality ) in the department of Alta Verapaz. In the 48 km ² large municipality of about 19,000 people live in Santa Cruz around 9000.
Geography
Santa Cruz Verapaz is located in the southwest of Alta Verapaz, at the headwaters of the Río Cahabón at about 1,400 m altitude. The majority of its territory extends in the surrounding mountains and is dominated by cloud forest and humid - temperate climate.
Santa Cruz is bordered to the north by the municipality of Coban, on the east by Tactic, on the west by San Cristóbal Verapaz and on the south by the municipality of San Miguel in the department of Baja Verapaz Chicaj.
Population
The majority of the population belongs to the Mayan group Pocomchí and Kekchi, and there are even smaller members of indigenous communities. The Ladinos represent approximately a fifth of the population, some of which also has German origins. End of the 19th century there were in Alta Verapaz, a wave of immigration from Germany, a few decades later settled in Santa Cruz Verapaz several families from Italy down. The names of some businesses and shops still refer to the European roots of the owners.
The city of Santa Cruz Verapaz is divided into four districts ( " barrios " ) Santa Elena, Santa Cecilia, Santo Tomás and Santa Cruz, plus there are five settlements ( " colonias " ) Milano, Los Ángeles, El Bosque, Oro Verde and Los Olivos. The rest of the municipality consists of the seven rural communities ( " Aldeas " ) Acamal, Chicoyoj, Chijou, Chiquiguital Chiţul, Najquitob and Xhixajau, further subdivided into 57 smaller districts and hamlets.
History
The peaceful advancing in the Verapaz region Dominican friars Juan de Torres, Pedro de Angulo and Luis Cáncer founded Santa Cruz on May 3, 1543 dominion of the Munchú, so the first place Santa Cruz Munchú, and later Santa Cruz de Santa Elena said. The foundation was officially registered in San Juan Chamelco on 1 May 1546. Shortly afterwards arose in Santa Cruz one of the first churches in the Verapaz region. In 1976 she was badly damaged by an earthquake. On September 9, 1830 Santa Cruz Verapaz was raised to the municipality, which was increased by the two hamlets Chimaxpop and Chojal in 1916, which had previously belonged to Tactic.
Economy and Transport
Santa Cruz is very conveniently located on the highway CA 14 (also the National Road 5), which runs from Coban to El Rancho (El Progreso ). From there, via the motorway CA 9 to Guatemala City in the highlands or to Puerto Barrios on the Caribbean coast. From San Cristóbal there are 197 kilometers to Guatemala City and 15 km to Coban, the capital of the department of Alta Verapaz. In addition, branches of Santa Cruz in a westerly direction along the national road 7, which leads over San Cristóbal Verapaz and Huehuetenango after Quiché. Thus benefited Santa Cruz from through traffic. Local people live mainly from agriculture, forestry and wood industry, as well as of services and the craft.