Suchitepéquez Department

Suchitepéquez is a department of Guatemala and is located in the southwest of the country ( region VI). It covers over 2,500 square kilometers and has about 500,000 inhabitants. The capital of the department is Mazatenango.

Suchitepéquez bordered to the north by the departments of Quetzaltenango and Solola, Chimaltenango to the east, in the southeast of Escuintla, on the south by the Pacific Ocean and on the west by Retalhuleu.

Provincial nature

In the north Suchitepéquez has share of the Sierra Madre. From there, the criss-crossed by numerous rivers land slopes gently to the southwest from to the Pacific coast. The soil is very fertile. Due to intense agricultural use of the originally diverse population of wildlife has declined. The climate is predominantly tropical hot, the rainy season lasts from May to October.

Population

The original indigenous population has been greatly mixed with Spaniards during the colonial period. In the northern altitudes quiches and Cakchiquels dominate. The population lives in 20 municipios ( large municipalities or counties ):

The Department as state administrative district is headed by a delegated by the central government governor. The Municipalities are autonomous local authorities with elected mayors and elected assemblies and are divided into Aldeas ( rural communities ) and Caseríos, Parajes or fincas ( hamlets and farms ).

Economy

The population lives mainly on agriculture, which is varied due to the fertile soil and the different altitudes. Is cultivated sugar cane, corn, cardamom, cocoa, beans, bananas, coffee, rubber and various citrus fruits. Also of importance is the craft and the service sector. Tourism plays a subordinate role.

Default traffic Suchitepéquez is relatively well developed only in the north. Here the Southeast by east-west direction is traversed by the Pacific route CA-2, which leads to Mexico and El Salvador. From this route branches at Cuyotenango a highway to the Pacific coast from where Cocales the National Road 11 to Lake Atitlán in the northern neighboring department of Solola. About the Pacific route Suchitepéquez is also connected Quetzaltenango with the highway to Guatemala City.

Attractions

Suchitepéquez is not considered one of the more important tourist destinations in Guatemala. Of the poor developed Pacific beaches, Playa Chicago is known for its nearby channels. It is close to the bird sanctuary El Estero de Tahuexco is with its lagoon. The municipalidad Mazatenango features a 100 -acre forest (Finca Dolores). The town itself is famous for its colorful carnival. In San Bernardino is a nature reserve and a water park. On the Río Nahualate there is rafting opportunities, to its headwaters can be seen on the Corredor de Biológico Chicacao a nature reserve with springs, streams, waterfalls and caves to visit. In Chicacao the Archaeological Museum Francisco Chicajau offers insights into the classic era of the Mayan civilization.

History

Suchitepéquez was before the conquest by Pedro de Alvarado, a part of the Quiché kingdom. During the colonial period Suchitepéquez formed with Retalhuleu the County Corregimiento de Suchitepéquez. After independence from Spain, this area belonged 1838-1849 repeated for Estado de Los Altos, the sixth State of the Central American confederation called. The County Suchitepéquez was raised on 16 October 1877 Departamento but lost There is a place in the west area of Retalhuleu.

The name of the department is probably derived from the Nahuatl words xochitl ( "flower" ) and tepetl ( "mountain" ), which as Xochitepec means " on the blooming mountain ". Alvarado's Mexican mercenaries gave various places Guatemalan name, who took over the Spaniard in a modified form.