Alta Verapaz Department

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Alta Verapaz
—  Department  —

Flag
Coat of arms
Alta Verapaz
Coordinates: 15°30′N 90°20′W / 15.500°N 90.333°W / 15.500; -90.333
Country Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala
Department Alta Verapaz
Capital Cobán
Municipalities 16
Government
 • Type Departmental
 • Governor Dominga Tecúm Camil
Area
 • Department 8,686 km2 (3,354 sq mi)
Highest elevation 2,800 m (9,200 ft)
Lowest elevation 300 m (1,000 ft)
Population (Census 2002)[1]
 • Department 776,246
 • Urban 163,012
 • Ethnicities Q'eqchi', poqomchi', Ladino
 • Religions Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya
Time zone -6

Coordinates: 15°30′N 90°20′W / 15.500°N 90.333°W / 15.500; -90.333

Semuc Champey pools in the Cahabòn River, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Alta Verapaz is a department in the north central part of Guatemala. The capital and chief city of the department is Cobán. Verapaz is bordered to the north by El Petén, to the east by Izabal, to the south by Zacapa, El Progreso, and Baja Verapaz, and to the west by El Quiché.

Also in Alta Verapaz are the towns of Chisec, San Pedro Carchá and San Cristóbal Verapaz.

Contents

History [edit]

In Pre-Columbian times this area was part of the Maya civilization. When the Spanish Conquistadores came in the 1520s they conquered the central and southern highlands of Guatemala, but were driven back from this region by fierce native resistance. Spanish friars asked the unsuspicious natives for a chance to "peacefully" convert the land to Christianity, which they succeeded in, giving the area the name "Verapaz" meaning "True Peace" since it was so cunningly brought to Christianity and control of the King of Spain without warfare. In the 19th century this became an important coffee producing region.

As a result of the Mexican Drug War, the Los Zetas drug cartel members overtook much of the department and occupied many towns in December 2010. The Guatemalan government declared a state of siege on December 19 to reclaim the department, allowing the military and police forces to search and arrest any suspects without a warrant, and at least sixteen buildings were searched.[2][3]

Municipalities [edit]

  1. Chahal
  2. Chisec
  3. Cobán
  4. Fray Bartolomé de las Casas
  5. Lanquín
  6. Panzós
  7. Raxruha
  8. San Cristóbal Verapaz
  9. San Juan Chamelco
  10. San Pedro Carchá
  11. Santa Cruz Verapaz
  12. Santa María Cahabón
  13. Senahú
  14. Tactic
  15. Tamahú
  16. Tucurú
  17. Santa Catalina la Tinta

References [edit]

  1. ^ "XI Censo Nacional de Poblacion y VI de Habitación (Censo 2002)". INE. 2002. 
  2. ^ Wire Staff, the CNN (December 20, 2010). "Guatemalan government declares siege to fend off drug gang". Cable News Network. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2010. 
  3. ^ AP, Google (December 19, 2010). "Guatemalan military seizes drug-plagued province". The Associated Press. Retrieved 20 December 2010. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alta Verapaz
Flag of Guatemala
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alta_Verapaz_Department&oldid=543600898"