| Official Name: | Pachalum |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Guatemala El Quiché#Guatemala |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in El Quiché Department |
| Coordinates: | 14.9269°N -90.665°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Guatemala |
| Subdivision Type1: | Department |
| Subdivision Name1: | El Quiché |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pachalúm |
| Established Date: | 1986 |
| Government Type: | Municipal |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager |
| Area Total Km2: | 100 |
| Population Total: | 7037 |
| Population As Of: | Census 2002 |
| Population Urban: | 2042 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank1: | K'iche', Ladino |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Population Blank2: | Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Aw |
Pachalúm is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of El Quiché.
Pachalúm had been a village in the municipality of Joyabaj, but was recognized as separate municipality in 1986.[1]
See also: Joyabaj and El Quiché. The name «Pachalum» originated from the Pachecas' game which men practiced under the shadow of a "Chalum" tree during the early years of the 20th century.
José de Alvarado —relative of conquistador Pedro de Alvarado— was given from the Kingdom of Guatemala authorities more than one hundred fifty acres of land in the Santa María Xoyavaj region, dando origen a los establecimientos de colonizadores españoles en la región. Pachalúm was mentioned for the first time in 1817, as place for sugar production settled by Spanish families that arrived there from San Martín Jilotepeque, Santa Cruz El Chol and from most of the modern Baja Verapaz Department.
After the revolution against field marshal Vicente Cerna y Cerna in 1871, the families of the revolutionary leaders that helped the Liberal revolt asked Joyabaj mayor that their settlement became a village, which was granted on 9 August 1872.
The municipality has an area of 100 km; besides the municipal capital, there are eight villages, thirteen settlements and five farm fields.[2] [3]
| Division | Name | Settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Villages | Las Moritas | El Naranjito |
| Los Altos | Piedras Blancas | |
| El Cimarrón | Caseríos Toro Seco, Las Minas y San José El Jute | |
| El Ciprés | Ciprés Segundo Centro | |
| Llano Grande | San Vicente | |
| Agua Zarca | Tamarindo y Trapichitos | |
| Volcancillos | Veguitas de Mercedes, Guachipilín, El Anono y Tablones | |
| Las Vegas | N/A | |
| Farm fields | La Laguna Seca | |
| San Isidro | ||
| El Maguey | ||
| San Miguel | ||
| Incienso | ||
Pachalúm is located in Sierra de Chuacús, specifically at the bottom of Tuncaj Hill, where several sprinkles come down. It is also close to the Motagua river basin, cuyos afluentes, los ríos Las Vegas y Tumbadero, humedecen el terreno de la localidad.[3]
The first elections ever held in Pachalúm resulted in victory of Vicente de la Roca in 1986, but his term was not that effective due to the lack of experience on managing a municipality; the next mayor was Rafael Elías who focused on the area development. Afterwards, teach Reynabel Estrada Roca was elected, serving for three terms.[2]
Among those projects finished during Estrada Roca's term in office are:
Other important access roads to Pachalúm are:
Pachalúm has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw).
