Sacatepéquez Department

Sacatepéquez 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 [Guatemala earthquake].
The capital of the department 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 Maya, they identified Mixco Viejo as their capital, and spread throughout the Sacatepequez Department until their capital was moved to Ciudad Vieja, in Antigua.

Name

The name Sacatepéquez is derived from a Nahuatl word which means "grasshill", referring to the hilly terrain in the department. It has also been spelled Zacatepeques.

Population

Sacatepéquez Department has a population of 330,469. 40.2% of the population identifies as Maya, with 37.7% belonging to the Kaqchikel Maya. 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.

Municipalities

#	Municipality	Population	Density	Area
1	Antigua	46,054		69
2	Sumpango	37,260		62
3	Ciudad Vieja	33,405		27
4	Santiago Sacatepéquez	29,238		36
5	San Lucas Sacatepéquez	23,986		25
6	Alotenango	23,369		38
7	Santa María de Jesús	21,938		23
8	Jocotenango	21,657		10
9	Pastores	17,814		19
10	Santa Lucía Milpas Altas	15,570		19
11	San Miguel Dueñas	12,696		45
12	Santo Domingo Xenacoj	12,402		19
14	Magdalena Milpas Altas	11,856		19
13	San Antonio Aguas Calientes	11,347		7
15	San Bartolomé Milpas Altas	7,816		5
16	Santa Catarina Barahona	4,061		31
	Sacatepéquez	330,469	725/km²	454 km

Geography

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

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. 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.

Culture

Art

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