Official Name: | San Juan Ixcoy |
Other Name: | Yich Kʼox |
Settlement Type: | Municipality |
Pushpin Map: | Guatemala |
Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Guatemala |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Guatemala |
Subdivision Name1: | Huehuetenango |
Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
Subdivision Name2: | San Juan Ixcoy |
Government Type: | Municipal |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Area Total Km2: | 224 |
Population As Of: | Census 2002 |
Population Footnotes: | [1] |
Population Total: | 19367 |
Population Urban: | 2185 |
Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
Population Blank1: | Q'anjob'al (90%), Mam (7%), Akatek (2%), Ladino (1%) |
Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
Population Blank2: | Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya |
Coordinates: | 15.6°N -91.45°W |
Elevation Max M: | 2000 |
Elevation Min M: | 1500 |
Blank Name: | Climate |
Blank Info: | Cwb |
Website: | Municipal site |
San Juan Ixcoy (also known as Yich Kʼox in Qʼanjobʼal) is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Huehuetenango. The municipality covers an area of 224km2 and is formed by the town of San Juan Ixcoy, 11 villages and 33 caserios (rural communities). Its population of 19,367 (in 2002) is predominantly of Maya Q'anjob'al descent.[2]
San Juan Ixcoy is located in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes range and borders with the municipalities of Soloma and Santa Eulalia in the North, Chiantla in the South and Nebaj in the East. By road, San Juan Ixcoy is directly served by RN-9-N. No rail transport exists nearby, and while there is an airport in Quetzaltenango, the closest international airport is La Aurora International Airport.
Most households depend on subsistence agricultural and produce maize, beans and ayote (Cucurbita argyrosperma), as well as potatoes, wheat, and horticultural products. Artesanal production of textiles and traditional crafts adds to household income. Other economic activities include labour migration to the large plantations on the Guatemalan south coast and in some cases to the United States.[3]