Sacatepéquez Department Explained

Official Name:Sacatepéquez Department
Native Name:Departmento de Sacatepéquez
Native Name Lang:es
Settlement Type:Department of Guatemala
Mapsize:300
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guatemala
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Guatemala
Seat Type:Capital
Seat:Antigua Guatemala
Parts Type:Municipalities
Parts:16
Government Type:Departmental
Leader Title:Governor
Area Total Km2:465
Population As Of:2018
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:330,469
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Urban:292366
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Population Blank2:Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya
Utc Offset:-6

Sacatepéquez (pronounced as /es/) is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. The name comes from Sacatepéquez, a city from November 21, 1542, until July 29, 1773, when it was destroyed by the 1773 Guatemalan Earthquake (Santa Marta Earthquake). Sacatepéquez means grasshill in the Nahuatl language. The capital of Sacatepéquez is Antigua Guatemala. Other important cities include Ciudad Vieja and San Lucas Sacatepéquez, which also hosts a marketplace and is a culinary attraction. The Chajoma were a group of indigenous people who were Kaqchikel speaking Indians identified Mixco Viejo as their capital, and spread throughout the Sacatepequez Department until their capital was moved to Ciudad Vieja, in Antigua.

Name

Sacatepéquez has also been spelled Zacatepeques.[2]

Population

Sacatepéquez Department has a population of 330,469 (2018 census). In 1850, the area had a population of an estimated 56,000. The southern area, which is closer to Guatemala City, has the largest population.[3]

Municipalities

  1. Alotenango
  2. Antigua Guatemala
  3. Ciudad Vieja
  4. Jocotenango
  5. Magdalena Milpas Altas
  6. Pastores
  7. San Antonio Aguas Calientes
  8. San Bartolomé Milpas Altas
  9. San Lucas Sacatepéquez
  10. San Miguel Dueñas
  11. Santiago Sacatepéquez
  12. Santa Catarina Barahona
  13. Santa Lucía Milpas Altas
  14. Santa María de Jesús
  15. Santo Domingo Xenacoj
  16. Sumpango

Geography

The area is mountainous, with what the British described, in 1850, as a "mild climate."[2] Guatemala hosts a chain of active and dormant volcanoes, with those in Sacatepequez including Acatenago, Volcan De Agua (Volcano of Water), and Volcan de Fuego (Volcano of Fire).[4] Jocotes, a fruit of the cashew family, grow in the region.[5]

Economy

The more populated areas produce fruit and various crops, including maize. Livestock is also raised, with trade going towards Guatemala City. The southern area of the department produces coffee, sugar, tobacco, and cotton. As of 1850, products were being shipped out of Iztapa.[3] Although Guatemala is able to produce cash crops such as bananas and textiles, 72% of people living in rural areas live in poverty with 31% of them reaching extreme poverty.[6]

Culture

Art

Sacatepéquez is also home to the National Museum of Guatemalan Art, which is located in Antigua Guatemala.[7] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/guatemala/cities/ Citypopulation.de
  2. Book: Baily, John. Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. 1850. Trelawney Saunders. London. 76.
  3. Book: Baily, John. Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. 1850. Trelawney Saunders. London. 77.
  4. Web site: The Volcanos of Guatemala. Landmeier. Phillip. www.mayaparaiso.com. 2017-05-10.
  5. Web site: Guatemala's "National Fruit" – The Jocote - Qué Pasa Magazine. www.quepasa.gt. en-US. 2017-05-10.
  6. Book: Huber-Warring, Tonya. Growing a Soul for Social Change: Building the Knowledge Base for Social Justice. 2008-01-01. IAP. 9781593118877. en.
  7. Web site: Museo Nacional de Arte de Guatemala MUNAG – SIC . 2024-01-04 . www.sicultura.gob.gt.
  8. Web site: Contreras . Pamela . 2023-11-11 . For the First Time Ever: Government Creates a National Art Museum of Guatemala GTNews - Guatemalan News Agency . 2024-01-04 . en-US.