Puerto Lempira

Last updated

Puerto Lempira
Municipality
Muelle de puerto lempira.jpg
Dock in Puerto Lempira
Honduras location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Puerto Lempira
Location in Honduras
Coordinates: 15°16′N83°46′W / 15.267°N 83.767°W / 15.267; -83.767
CountryHonduras
DepartmentGracias a Dios
Villages31
Area
  Municipality7,126 km2 (2,751 sq mi)
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2023 projection) [1]
  Municipality61,626
  Density8.6/km2 (22/sq mi)
   Urban
25,662
Time zone UTC−6 (Central America)
Climate Af

Puerto Lempira or Auhya Yari is the Miskito capital of the Gracias a Dios department in northeastern Honduras, located on the shores of the Caratasca Lagoon. Though it does not have paved roads, it is the largest town in the La Mosquitia region. [2]

Contents

The town is named for the 16th century leader of the indigenous Lenca peoples, Lempira, who directed an ultimately unsuccessful resistance against the Spanish conquistador forces in the 1530s.

Puerto Lempira became the departmental capital in 1975, prior to which it was Brus Laguna. In the 1980s, the town became a centre for CIA operations against the Sandinistas. [3]

Its population is 22,860 (2023 calculation). [4]

Puerto Lempira is sister city to Plattsburgh, New York, US, and has been since 2011.

Demographics

At the time of the 2013 Honduras census, Puerto Lempira municipality had a population of 47,528. Of these, 82.41% were Indigenous (81.98% Miskito), 14.86% Mestizo, 1.34% Afro-Honduran or Black, 1.27% White and 0.13% others. [5]

Culture

Miskito culture is dominant, though not exclusive.

Language

Miskito language is dominant and official in the region, followed by Mayangna and Spanish.

Transportation

The city is served by Puerto Lempira Airport, which operates several flights a week on a regular schedule.

Climate

Like most of the Caribbean side of Central America, Puerto Lempira has a warm, humid and rainy tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Its driest month of March, when the relentlessly wet trade winds are weakest, is only marginally rainy enough to avoid a tropical monsoon classification; however, between June and December monthly rainfall consistently averages above or near 300 millimetres or 12 inches.

Climate data for Puerto Lempira (1961-1990, extremes 1961-present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)33.0
(91.4)
35.2
(95.4)
36.4
(97.5)
37.0
(98.6)
38.0
(100.4)
34.8
(94.6)
35.0
(95.0)
37.3
(99.1)
38.1
(100.6)
35.0
(95.0)
34.6
(94.3)
32.8
(91.0)
38.1
(100.6)
Average high °C (°F)28.2
(82.8)
28.8
(83.8)
30.2
(86.4)
31.1
(88.0)
31.6
(88.9)
30.7
(87.3)
30.1
(86.2)
30.3
(86.5)
30.6
(87.1)
29.7
(85.5)
29.0
(84.2)
28.4
(83.1)
29.9
(85.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)25.9
(78.6)
26.2
(79.2)
27.3
(81.1)
28.2
(82.8)
28.5
(83.3)
28.1
(82.6)
27.9
(82.2)
28.1
(82.6)
27.8
(82.0)
27.2
(81.0)
26.7
(80.1)
26.1
(79.0)
27.3
(81.1)
Average low °C (°F)22.0
(71.6)
21.8
(71.2)
22.1
(71.8)
23.0
(73.4)
23.7
(74.7)
24.1
(75.4)
23.9
(75.0)
24.0
(75.2)
23.6
(74.5)
23.2
(73.8)
23.1
(73.6)
22.7
(72.9)
23.1
(73.6)
Record low °C (°F)14.5
(58.1)
14.0
(57.2)
12.5
(54.5)
15.0
(59.0)
21.4
(70.5)
15.5
(59.9)
16.0
(60.8)
17.4
(63.3)
17.0
(62.6)
15.3
(59.5)
15.5
(59.9)
11.0
(51.8)
11.0
(51.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches)193.2
(7.61)
135.8
(5.35)
69.3
(2.73)
79.7
(3.14)
215.6
(8.49)
368.0
(14.49)
420.3
(16.55)
354.1
(13.94)
316.3
(12.45)
456.9
(17.99)
430.6
(16.95)
293.1
(11.54)
3,332.9
(131.22)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)12965916191716191615159
Source 1: NOAA [6]
Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows) [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracias a Dios Department</span> Department in Honduras

Gracias a Dios is one of the 18 departments (departamentos) into which Honduras is divided. The departmental capital is Puerto Lempira; until 1975 it was Brus Laguna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Rosa de Copán</span> Municipality in Copán, Honduras

Santa Rosa de Copán is a municipality in Honduras. The city of Santa Rosa de Copán is the municipal seat and the departmental capital of the Honduran department of Copán. It is located approximately 1,150 metres (3,773 ft) above mean sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region</span> Autonomous region of Nicaragua

The North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region is one of two autonomous regions in Nicaragua. It was created along with the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region by the Autonomy Statute of 7 September 1987 through a division of the former Zelaya Department. It covers an area of 33,106 km2 and has a population of 541,189. It is the largest autonomous region or department in Nicaragua. The capital is Puerto Cabezas. It contains part of the region known as the Mosquito Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Ceiba</span> Municipality in Atlántida, Honduras

La Ceiba is a municipality, the capital of the Honduran department of Atlántida and a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras. With an estimated population of 209,000 living in approximately 170 residential areas, it is the fourth most populous and third most important city in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefields</span> Municipality in South Caribbean Autonomous Region, Nicaragua

Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions. It is located on Bluefields Bay at the mouth of the Bluefields River in the municipality of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracias</span> Municipality in Lempira, Honduras

Gracias is a small Honduran town/municipality that was founded in 1536, and is the capital of Lempira Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tela</span> Municipality in Atlántida, Honduras

Tela is a town, with a population of 39,920, and a municipality in Honduras on the northern Caribbean coast. It is located in the department of Atlantida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Cabezas</span> Municipality in North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region

Puerto Cabezas is a municipality and city in Nicaragua. It is the capital of Miskito nation in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region.

La Esperanza is the capital city and a municipality of the same name of the department of Intibucá, Honduras. La Esperanza is famous for having the coolest climate in Honduras. It is considered the heart of the Ruta Lenca, a region of Lenca ethnic influence that spans Honduras from Santa Rosa de Copan to Choluteca. Sites on the Lenca Trail have been designated by the government and United Nations development in order to encourage more cultural tourism, and help create new markets for the traditional crafts, such as pottery, practiced by the Lenca, in order to preserve their culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inírida, Guainía</span> Municipality and city in Amazon Region, Colombia

Inírida, formerly Puerto Inírida, is the capital city, and a municipality, of the department of Guainía in Colombia. It was established in 1963 on the site of the small village of Obando, at the time in the municipality of San Felipe. The municipality was renamed in 1974. The municipal population of 31,514 is mostly indigenous and accounts for about a third of the department's population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choluteca, Choluteca</span> Municipality in Choluteca, Honduras

Choluteca is a municipality and the capital city of the Honduran department of the same name. Situated in southern Honduras between El Salvador and Nicaragua, the city is generally considered the regional centre of southern Honduras and is a major transit point on the Pan-American Highway. It has a major bus station and is home to the regional light (ENEE) and water (SANAA) utilities. The city is located on the Choluteca River, near the centre of the department. An arching silver bridge crosses the river into the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Marcos de Colón</span> Municipality in Choluteca, Honduras

San Marcos de Colón is a town, with a population of 13,920, and a municipality in the Honduran department of Choluteca, located on the border with Nicaragua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wampusirpi</span> Municipality in Gracias a Dios, Honduras

Wampusirpi is a municipality in the Honduran department of Gracias a Dios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lepaera</span> Municipality in Lempira, Honduras

Lepaera is a municipality in the Honduran department of Lempira. It has tropical climate all year round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia, Lempira</span> Municipality in Lempira, Honduras

Virginia is a municipality in the Honduran department of Lempira. Virginia is located in Lempira Honduras and shares a border with El Salvador. Many Virginians travel to El Salvador to do their shopping, because the Honduran cities are far away from Virginia.

Olanchito is a municipality in the department of Yoro, Honduras, and a town with a population of 49,750 as of 2023. The municipality was founded in 1530 and comprises 70 villages, approximately 300 hamlets, and a population of 124,286. It is located 107 miles (172 km) northeast of Tegucigalpa, the country's capital. Olanchito operates in the Central Time Zone, with a UTC offset of -6 hours. The city is the birthplace of many popular figures of Honduran literature such as Ramón Amaya Amador, whose manuscripts, collection of books, writing table, and ashes are located in Olanchito. Known locally as the Civic City, Olanchito's main industry is agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catacamas</span> Municipality in Olancho, Honduras

Catacamas is a city, with a population of 63,310, and a municipality in the Olancho Department of Honduras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Asís</span> Municipality and city in Putumayo Department, Colombia

Puerto Asís is a Colombian municipality and city in Putumayo Department. It is located on the west bank of the Putumayo River, downstream from the mouth of the Guamués River, 75 km (47 mi) south of (Cardinal) Mocoa. Bordering Ecuador, Puerto Asís municipality is the most populous municipality of the department, with a population of 67,211.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honduran folklore</span>

Honduras has rich folk traditions that derive from the fusion of four different cultural groups: indigenous, European, African and Creole. Each department or region, municipality, village and even hamlet contributes its own traditions including costumes, music, beliefs, stories, and all the elements that derive from and are transformed by peoples in a population. In sum, these define Honduran Folklore as expressed by crafts, tales, legends, music and dances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intibucá, Intibucá</span> Municipality in Intibucá, Honduras

Intibucá is a city, with a population of 28,220, and a municipality in the department of Intibucá, Honduras. The urban area of Intibucá is an important transit and commercial site in the South-West region of Honduras. Located 1,850 meters above sea level, Intibucá has a cool and often foggy climate, hence the nickname "La ciudad del manto blanco". Potato production, celebrated by the annual Festival de la Papa, is the principal basis of the economy for the municipality.

References

  1. Citypopulation.de Population of departments and municipalities in Honduras
  2. Chandler, Gary & Prado, Liza. Honduras & the Bay Islands (2007) p. 297 ( ISBN   978-1740591508)
  3. Gill, Nicholas. Frommer's Honduras (2009) p.260 ( ISBN   978-0470159439)
  4. Citypopulation.de Population of cities in Honduras
  5. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), bases de datos en línea
  6. "Puerto Lempira Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  7. "Station Puerto Lempira" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved 12 June 2016.