Intibucá Department

Intibucá
Departmento
Location of Intibuca in Honduras Location of Intibuca in Honduras
Country	Honduras
Seat	La Esperanza
Government
• Gobernador	Juan José Rivas Velásquez (2010-2014) (PNH)
Area
• Total	3,072 km2 (1,186 sq mi)
Area rank	14th
Population (2007)
• Total	232,509
• Rank	13th
• Density	76/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zone	CDT (UTC+6)
ISO 3166 code	HN-IN
Department number	10
Municipalities	17

Intibucá is one of the 18 departments in the Republic of Honduras. Intibucá covers a total surface area of 1,186.1 square miles (3,072 km²). Its capital is the city of La Esperanza, in the municipality of La Esperanza.

History

The department of Intibucá was created on April 16, 1883. This department was created following the recommendation submitted in 1869 by the Governor of the department of Gracias, Jose Maria Cacho. He advised that the vast size of Gracias made it difficult to govern and that it would therefore be desirable to divide it into more than one department.

On March 7, 1883 Decree No. 10 was issued, which called for the creation of a new department in April of that year. The decree specified that the department would be named Intibucá. The town of La Esperanza was designated to be the capital of the new department. Territory was taken from both the departments of Gracias and La Paz to create the new department.

Geography

The department of Intibucá is situated between latitudes 13°51'E and 14°42'N and longitudes 87°46'W and 88°42'W. It is bounded on the north by the departments of Comayagua, Lempira, and Santa Bárbara, on the east by the departments of Comayagua and La Paz, on the west by the department of Lempira, and on the south by the Republic of El Salvador. Intibucá is the most mountainous district of Honduras. The capital of La Esperanza lies at an elevation of 4,950 feet (1,510 m) above sea level. The table-land and valleys are higher than in any other part of the country, and the ranges of the Cordilleras rise to an altitude approaching 10,000 feet (3,000 m) feet above sea level.

Valleys

The valley of Otoro is 30 km long by 8 km wide.

Mountains

The Opalaca mountains have several ridges and crosses over into the department of La Paz. Sierra de Montecillos, is a mountain range that creates the border with the departament of Comayagua, and contains the mountains Opatoro, Concepción, El Picacho, Goascotoro, El Granadino among others.

Rivers

River of La Esperanza include the San Juan River and the Intibucá River, which passes through La Esperanza. Otoro River is a tributary of the Ulua River, and carries water to the Otoro valley. Black River, known by the name of Guarajambala, serves as a dividing line with the department of Lempira. Torola River and Gualcarque River flow into the Lempa river.

Population

According to the 1895 census, Intibucá had a population of 18,957 people at that time. In 2007, it had a population of about 232,509 people. This population is divided among 104 villages (aldeas) and 910 hamlets (caseríos).

Forest resources

The mountains and slopes are well supplied with pine and Oak forests, and the valleys thrive with fertile, well-watered soil, covered with vegetation characteristic of the temperate rather than tropical zone.

Municipalities

1. Camasca
2. Colomoncagua
3. Concepción
4. Dolores
5. Intibucá
6. Jesús de Otoro
7. La Esperanza
8. Magdalena
9. Masaguara
10. San Antonio
11. San Francisco de Opalaca
12. San Isidro
13. San Juan
14. San Marco de Sierra
15. San Miguelito
16. Santa Lucía
17. Yamaranguila

Notable residents

• General Vicente Tosta Carrasco, President of the country (1924-1925)
• Doctor Vicente Mejía Colindres, Constitutional presidente of the Republic (1929-1933)
• General es, military officer, politician, and Honduran leader
• Rafael Pineda Ponce, politician and educator, born in San Miguelito.
• Natanael del Cid Menedez, Politician, Rancher, Constitutionalist.