Chalatenango Department

Chalatenango is a department of El Salvador, located in the northwest of the country. The capital is the city of Chalatenango. The Chalatenango Department encompasses 2,017 km² and contains more than 204,000 inhabitants. Las Matras Archaeological Ruins contains the relics of prehistoric populations and caves in which rock writing is found. The "5 de Noviembre" Hydroelectric Dam is found in Chalatenango Department, near the border with Cabañas. The highest point in the country, El Pital with an elevation of 2730.06 m, is also located in Chalatenango Department.

Chalatenango
Department
Flag
Location within El Salvador
Coordinates: 14°10′23″N 89°04′34″W
Country El Salvador
Created
(given current status)		1855
SeatChalatenango
Area
 • Total2,016.6 km2 (778.6 sq mi)
Area rankRanked 5th
Highest elevation
2,730 m (8,960 ft)
Population
 • Total204,888
 • RankRanked 10th
 • Density100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−5 (CST)
ISO 3166 codeSV-CH
Websitewww.chalatenango.gob.sv

Agriculture

The most cultivated agricultural products are the basic grains, henequen (a type of agave), coffee, fruits, orchard plants, and vegetables, horses and cattle, and wilderness agriculture. Moreover, plaster, gold, lime, clay lead, silver, and zinc can be found there.

History

Around 1790, Francisco Luis Héctor de Carondelet, Governor of El Salvador, found that the local indigenous population working in Chaletenango's indigo industry had declined greatly. Carondolet responded by bringing poor Spaniards from Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria to settle, with the result that many blond and light skinned/eyed people may still be found in the Chalatenango Department today.[1]

Chalatenango was made a department on February 14, 1855.

During the 1980s, the department was the stronghold of the Farabundo Martí Popular Forces of Liberation (FPL), one of the two largest groups in the Frente Farabundo Martí Para la Liberacion Nacional (FMLN).

Municipalities
El Pital mountain
La Palma
  1. Agua Caliente
  2. Arcatao
  3. Azacualpa
  4. Chalatenango
  5. Citalá
  6. Comalapa
  7. Concepción Quezaltepeque
  8. Dulce Nombre de María
  9. El Carrizal
  10. El Paraíso
  11. La Laguna
  12. La Palma
  13. La Reina
  14. Las Vueltas
  15. Nombre de Jesús
  16. Nueva Concepción
  17. Nueva Trinidad
  18. Ojos de Agua
  19. Potonico
  20. San Antonio de la Cruz
  21. San Antonio Los Ranchos
  22. San Fernando
  23. San Francisco Lempa
  24. San Francisco Morazán
  25. San Ignacio
  26. San Isidro Labrador
  27. San José Cancasque
  28. San José Las Flores
  29. San Luis del Carmen
  30. San Miguel de Mercedes
  31. San Rafael
  32. Santa Rita
  33. Tejutla

References
  1. "François Louis Hector de Carondelet". Noyelles sur Selle, Carondelet (in French). Retrieved 2013-02-18.
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