Quetzaltenango Department

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}}Template:Main other Quetzaltenango is a department in the western highlands of Guatemala. The capital is the city of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala.<ref name="Rouanet14">Rouanet et al 1992, p.14.</ref> The department is divided up into 24 municipalities. The inhabitants include Spanish-speaking Ladinos and the Kʼicheʼ and Mam Maya groups, both with their own Maya language. The department consists of mountainous terrain, with its principal river being the Samalá River. the department is seismically active, suffering from both earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Prior to the Spanish conquest the territory included in the modern department formed a part of the Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj. The kingdom was defeated by the Spanish under Pedro de Alvarado in a number of decisive battles fought near the city of Quetzaltenango, then known as Xelaju. In the 19th century the territory of the modern department was included in the short-lived Central American state of Los Altos. The department was created by decree in 1845, five years after the fledgling state was crushed by Rafael Carrera.

The department has wide variations in local climate, due largely to marked differences in altitude in different areas. The year is divided into wet and dry seasons, with the wet season lasting from July to September and the dry season running from December to February. The wide climatic variation in the department allows for the production of a variety of agricultural products, including temperate fruits, vegetables and cereals in the highlands, as well as coffee on the lower slopes.

Quetzaltenango department has produced a number of high-profile Guatemalans, including several presidents as well as a number of musicians.

NameEdit

The department takes its name from the city of Quetzaltenango, which serves as the departmental capital.<ref name="Rouanet3">Rouanet et al 1992, p.3.</ref> Although the original Kʼicheʼ inhabitants knew the city by the name Xelaju, the Nahuatl-speaking allies of the Spanish Conquistadors named it Quetzaltenango in their own language, meaning "land of the quetzal birds".<ref name="Cattelan04p5">Cattelan 2004, p.5.</ref>

HistoryEdit

File:Tecun Uman.jpg

Statue of Tecun Uman in Quetzaltenango city

Early historyEdit

The territory that came to be included within the modern department of Quetzaltenango was the scene of several decisive battles in February 1524 between Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and the Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj. Pedro de Alvarado had initially advanced with his army along the Pacific coast without opposition until they reached the Samalá River; this region formed a part of the Kʼicheʼ kingdom.<ref name="SharerTraxler06p764">Sharer and Traxler 2006, p.764.</ref> Alvarado then turned to head upriver into the Sierra Madre mountains towards the Kʼicheʼ heartlands, crossing the pass into the fertile valley of Quetzaltenango. On 12 February 1524 Alvarado's Mexican allies were ambushed in the pass and driven back by the Kʼicheʼ warriors but the Spanish cavalry charge that followed was a shock for the Kʼicheʼ who had never seen horses before. The cavalry scattered the Kʼicheʼ and the army crossed to the city of Xelaju, modern Quetzaltenango, to find it deserted by its inhabitants.<ref>Sharer and Traxler 2006, p.764. Gall 1967, p.41.</ref> Although the common view is that the Kʼicheʼ prince Tecun Uman died in the later battle near Olintepeque, the Spanish accounts are clear that at least one and possibly two of the lords of Qʼumarkaj died in the fierce battles upon the initial approach to Quetzaltenango.<ref>Gall 1967, pp.41-42. Díaz del Castillo 1632, 2005, p.510.</ref> The death of Tecun Uman is said to have taken place in the battle of El Pinar,<ref name="RestallAsselbergs07p9,30">Restall and Asselbergs 2007, pp.9, 30.</ref> and local tradition has his death taking place upon the Llanos de Urbina (Plains of Urbina), upon the approach to Quetzaltenango near the modern village of Cantel.<ref>Cornejo Sam 2009, pp.269-270.</ref> Pedro de Alvardo, in his 3rd letter to Hernán Cortés, describes the death of one of the four lords of Qʼumarkaj upon the approach to Quetzaltenango. The letter was dated 11 April 1524 and was written during his stay at Qʼumarkaj.<ref name="RestallAsselbergs07p9,30"/> Almost a week later, on 18 February 1524,<ref name="Gall67p41">Gall 1967, p.41.</ref> a Kʼicheʼ army confronted the Spanish army in the Quetzaltenango valley where they were comprehensively defeated, with many Kʼicheʼ nobles among the dead.<ref>Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp.764-765.</ref> Such were the numbers of Kʼicheʼ dead that Olintepeque was given the new name Xequiquel, roughly meaning "bathed in blood".<ref>Fuentes y Guzmán 1882, p.49.</ref> This battle exhausted the Kʼicheʼ militarily and they asked for peace and offered tribute, inviting Pedro de Alvarado into their capital Qʼumarkaj.<ref name="SharerTraxler06p765">Sharer & Traxler 2006, p.765.</ref>

On 2 February 1838, Quetzaltenango joined together with Huehuetenango, El Quiché, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, Sololá, Suchitepéquez and Totonicapán to form the short-lived Central American state of Los Altos,<ref>Gaitán 2004?, pp.37-38. Rouanet et al 1992, p.5.</ref> with the city of Quetzaltenango functioning as its capital.<ref name="Rouanet5">Rouanet et al 1992, p.5.</ref> The state was crushed in 1840 by general Rafael Carrera Turcios, at that time between periods in office as Guatemalan president.<ref>Gaitán 2004?, pp.37-38.</ref>

Departmental historyEdit

File:Parque Central, Quetzaltenango by Frederick Catherwood 1840.png

Quetzaltenango's central park and cathedral in 1840, sketched by Frederick Catherwood

Quetzaltenango was declared a department by decree of the Asamblea Nacional Constituyente on 16 September 1845.<ref name="Rouanet2"/><ref name="AlfaroMancia05p13"/>

In 1902 Quetzaltenango suffered a number of serious earthquakes.<ref>Gaitán 2004?, p.72.</ref> An earthquake struck on 18 April 1902, with its epicentre within the Santa María volcano.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p6">Pinto Soria & Escobar 1989, p.6.</ref> This was followed by a major eruption of the volcano from 24 to 26 October of the same year.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p6"/> The volcano emitted a massive column of ash, provoking a fierce lightning storm.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p6"/> The explosions emitted by the volcano were audible up to Template:Convert away.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p7">Pinto Soria & Escobar 1989, p.7.</ref> The government of Manuel Estrada Cabrera initially denied that the eruption had taken place in Guatemala, instead claiming that it had occurred in neighbouring Mexico.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p7"/> Although the eruption caused great loss of life in western Guatemala, the Guatemalan government downplayed its severity.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p8">Pinto Soria & Escobar 1989, p.8.</ref>

The activity of the volcano continued until 1906, followed be a period of calm that lasted until 1922.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p8"/> A new series of eruptions took place from 1922 through to 1929, and formed a new side crater, the Santiaguito volcano.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p8"/> On the night of 11 November 1929, a lava flow descended from the volcano towards El Palmar, killing hundreds of people, setting fire to a number of mountainsides and burying coffee plantations under several metres of lava.<ref name="PintoEscobar1989p9">Pinto Soria & Escobar 1989, p.9.</ref>

GeographyEdit

File:Río Samalá 1.jpg

The Samalá River flowing through the outskirts of Quetzaltenango city

The department of Quetzaltenango is situated in the western highlands of Guatemala and covers an area of approximately Template:Convert,<ref name="Rouanet1">Rouanet et al 1992, p.1.</ref> approximately 1.8% of the total area of the Republic of Guatemala.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1">Dirección Técnica de Coordinación Regional y Departamental 1999, p.1.</ref> The department is bordered on the west by the department of San Marcos, by the departments of Retalhuleu and Suchitepéquez to the south, by Huehuetenango Department to the north and by the departments of Totonicapán and Sololá to the east.<ref name="Rouanet2"/>

The department is mountainous in nature and includes a wide range of altitudes, from Template:Convert in Génova to Template:Convert in Sibilia.<ref name="Rouanet7">Rouanet et al 1992, p.7.</ref> The average altitude is Template:Convert above mean sea level.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/> The principal mountains include the volcanoes Cerro Quemado, Chicabal, Lacandon, Santa María, Santiaguito, Santo Tomás (also known as Picul) and Siete Orejas, as well as Zunil peak, often erroneously referred to as a volcano.<ref name="Rouanet7"/><ref name="LarezGuitz08p5"/> Cerro Quemado produces a number of thermal springs, several of which have been converted into baths.<ref name="Rouanet8"/> The area covered by the department is seismically active, with earthquakes measuring from 4.5 to 5.2 on the Richter scale.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/>

The broken terrain of the department includes a number of wide valleys, including those occupied by the city of Quetzaltenango and the towns of San Juan Ostuncalco and Concepción Chiquirichapa.<ref name="Rouanet7"/> The varied terrain of the department also includes plains, canyons and high cliffs.<ref name="Rouanet7"/>

The most important river in the department is the Samalá River, flowing through the municipalities of Cantel, El Palmar, San Carlos Sija, Quetzaltenango, San Juan Ostuncalco and Zunil.<ref name="Rouanet7"/> The river flows into Quetzaltenango department from the neighbouring department of Totonicapán and flows southwards into the department of Retalhuleu.<ref name="Rouanet7"/>

Other notable rivers in the department include the Tumalá River in the municipality of Cajolá, the El Naranjo River in the municipality of San Carlos Sija, and the Las Palomas and Xocal Rivers in the municipality of Concepción Chiquirichapa.<ref name="Rouanet8">Rouanet et al 1992, p.8.</ref>

VolcanoesEdit

File:VolcanSantiguito02.JPG

The Santiaguito volcano is in a state of constant activity

Name	Height
Cerro Quemado	Template:Convert<ref name="INSIVUMEH">INSIVUMEH.</ref>
Chicabal<ref name="Rouanet7"/>
Lacandon<ref name="Rouanet7"/>
Santa María	Template:Convert<ref name="INSIVUMEH"/>
Santiaguito	Template:Convert<ref name="INSIVUMEH"/>
Santo Tomás (Picul)	Template:Convert<ref name="LarezGuitz08p5"/>
Siete Orejas	Template:Convert<ref name="INSIVUMEH"/>

Other notable peaksEdit

Name	Height
Zunil	Template:Convert<ref name="LarezGuitz08p5">Larez Guitz 2008, p.5.</ref>

ClimateEdit

The average temperature in the department of Quetzaltenango varies between Template:Convert, however there is wide variation due to the great difference in altitude in various parts of the department.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/> On the lower Pacific slopes the temperature can reach as high as Template:Convert, while temperatures as low as Template:Convert have been recorded at higher altitudes.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/>

Average annual rainfall is Template:Convert in the municipality of Almolonga, and parts of the department at higher altitudes experience frost in the months from November through to March.<ref name="SEGEPLANAlmolonga01p2"/> The municipality of Cantel receives an average annual rainfall that varies between Template:Convert;<ref name="Galindo08p10">Galindo 2008, p.10.</ref> in Huitán it varies between Template:Convert.<ref name="MuniHuitan2">Municipalidad de Huitán (2).</ref>

The year is divided into wet and dry seasons, with most rain falling in July and September.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/> The driest months of the year are December through to February.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p1"/> The department falls within two principal biomes, classified as subtropical moist forest and tropical and subtropical coniferous forest.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p2">Dirección Técnica de Coordinación Regional y Departamental 1999, p.2.</ref> The former is a lower altitude zone characterised by corozo palms and conacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum).<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p2"/> The latter is higher altitude featuring pine, cypress and sycamore.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99p2"/>

Template:Wide image

PopulationEdit

The 2018 census recorded the department's population at 799,101 inhabitants.<ref name="population" /> The inhabitants are divided between three principal ethnicities; Ladino, Kʼicheʼ Maya and Mam Maya.<ref>Hernández & González 2004. Rouanet et al 1992, p.12.</ref> Three languages are spoken in the department, broadly corresponding to the ethnic groups; Spanish, Kʼicheʼ and Mam.<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04">Hernández & González 2004.</ref> In 2004, 40.4% of the population was listed as non-indigenous (i.e. Ladino) and 59.6% as indigenous (mainly Kʼicheʼ and Mam).<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/> In 1999, average life expectancy was calculated as 63.7 years.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99piii">Dirección Técnica de Coordinación Regional y Departamental 1999, p.iii.</ref> In the same year, 63.7% of dwellings had electricity, 70.1% had drinking water and 92.5% had sanitation.<ref name="SEGEPLAN99piii"/>

Each municipality is known for its different traditional indigenous dress, with the exceptions of Coatepeque, Colomba, Flores Costa Cuca and San Carlos Sija, where traditional clothing is not worn by the indigenous inhabitants.<ref name="Rouanet10"/> These trajes are manufactured by the local inhabitants themselves.<ref name="Rouanet10"/>

Economy and agricultureEdit

The wide climatic variation within the department resulting from differences in altitude gives rise to a diverse range of agricultural products.<ref name="Rouanet9">Rouanet et al 1992, p.9.</ref> These include apples, beetroot, cabbages, carrots, high quality coffee, common beans, maize, onions, peaches, plums, potatoes, radishes, turnips and wheat.<ref name="Rouanet9"/> Almolonga is the main producer of vegetables, both for the national market and for export, principally to Mexico and countries in Central America.<ref name="Rouanet9"/><ref name="SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.9">SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.9.</ref> Salcajá is known for its production of a fruit liquor called caldo de frutas ("fruit wine").<ref name="Rouanet9"/> Other products of the department include woolen textiles, cotton, silk, ceramics, alcoholic beverages and flour.<ref name="Rouanet10">Rouanet et al, p.10.</ref>

Poorer high altitude areas of the department experience seasonal migration of workers to the Pacific lowlands in order to work on coffee, sugarcane and cotton plantations.<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.27.</ref>

Municipality<ref name="Rouanet2">Rouanet et al 1992, p.2.</ref>	Principal agricultural products	Non-agricultural products
Almolonga	Vegetables, maize, common bean, pigs, sheep, cattle<ref name="SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.9"/>	Textiles<ref name="SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.9"/>
Cabricán	Vegetables, maize, common bean, broad bean, apples, wheat<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.86.</ref>	Limestone<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.34.</ref>
Cajolá	Maize, common bean, broad bean, wheat, pigs<ref>Cirín Rodriguez 2004, p.51.</ref>	Textiles, bricks, pipes, pots, basins, shoes, ironwork, carpentry.<ref>Cirín Rodriguez 2004, p.52.</ref>
Cantel	Maize, cabbage, onions, vegetables<ref name="Galindo08p32"/>	Textiles<ref name="Galindo08p32">Galindo 2008, p.32.</ref>
Coatepeque	Horses, cattle, coffee, maize, rice, sugarcane, cotton<ref>González Estrada 2003, pp.9-10.</ref>	Minimal non-agricultural production<ref>González Estrada 2003, p.10.</ref>
Colomba	Coffee, cardamom, macadamia nuts, bananas, cattle<ref name="SalazarMorales04p46">Salazar Morales 2004, p.46.</ref>	Sandals<ref name="SalazarMorales04p46"/>
Concepción Chiquirichapa
El Palmar
Flores Costa Cuca
Génova
Huitán
La Esperanza
Olintepeque
Palestina de Los Altos
Quetzaltenango
Salcajá
San Carlos Sija
San Francisco La Unión
San Juan Ostuncalco
San Martín Sacatepéquez	Maize, potatoes, vegetables<ref>Barillas Morales 2004, p.28.</ref>	Textiles, bricks, bread<ref>Barillas Morales 2004, p.29.</ref>
San Mateo	Potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, cattle<ref name="EcheverriaMorataya08p27">Echeverria Morataya 2008, p.27</ref>	Bricks, textiles, kitchen griddles<ref name="EcheverriaMorataya08p27"/>
San Miguel Sigüilá	Maize, oats, wheat, potatoes, broad beans, peaches<ref name="SEGEPLAN09p8">SEGEPLAN 2009, p.8.</ref>	Textiles, bricks, tiles<ref name="SEGEPLAN09p8"/>
Sibilia	Maize, potatoes, wheat, oats, barley, pigs<ref>Morales Yantuche 2008, p.32.</ref>	Bricks, carpentry, metalwork, bread<ref>Morales Yantuche 2008, p.33.</ref>
Zunil	Vegetables, poultry, cattle, pigs<ref>Larez Guitz 2008, pp.47-48.</ref>	Textiles, bread, metalwork<ref>Larez Guitz 2008, p.49.</ref>

TourismEdit

Quetzaltenango city is the main tourist hub for the department and is a centre for cultural tourism.<ref name="SEGEPLAN06p25">SEGEPLAN 2006, p.25.</ref> Most hotels are located in Quetzaltenango city and Coatepeque, with 495 registered hotels in 2006.<ref name="SEGEPLAN06p25"/> Quetzaltenango city is also a centre for tourists studying Spanish as a second language, with 35 Spanish schools in 2006.<ref name="SEGEPLAN06p25"/> Tourist attractions outside Quetzaltenango city include the thermal baths located around the Cerro Quemado volcano, including the thermal baths of Almolonga, Aguas Amargas ("Bitter Waters") and Fuentes Georginas, which has become a tourist attraction of some importance.<ref name="Rouanet8"/>

Archaeological sitesEdit

In 2010, seasonal rains uncovered the small Kʼicheʼ archaeological site of Chojolom in the municipality of Cantel. It has been tentatively dated to the Postclassic Period (c. 950-1521 AD).<ref>Rodas 2010.</ref> Cerro Quiac is another small site on a hilltop in Cantel municipality,<ref>Iglesias Ponce de León and Ciudad Ruiz 1984, p. 18.</ref> dated to the Early Postclassic period (c. 950-1200 AD).<ref>Fox 1978, p. 165.</ref>

Political structureEdit

File:Inauguration speech of Dora Otilia Alcahé, Governor of Quetzaltenango 2012.JPG

Governor Dora Otilia Alcahé López giving her inauguration speech in Quetzaltenango in February 2012

The departmental government is headed by the Governor of Quetzaltenango, who is appointed directly by the president of Guatemala. Aldo Herrera Scheel was appointed as departmental governor in 2024 by president Bernardo Arévalo.

MunicipalitiesEdit

Municipality<ref name="Rouanet2"/>	Ethnicity<ref name="Rouanet12">Rouanet et al 1992, p.12.</ref>	Population<ref name="INE02">Instituto Nacional de Estadística 2002.</ref><ref group="nb" name="2002census">2002 census.</ref>	Festival	Altitude	Extent
Almolonga	Kʼicheʼ	13,880	29 June<ref name="SEGEPLANAlmolonga01p1">SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.1.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="SEGEPLANAlmolonga01p2">SEGEPLAN 2001?, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="SEGEPLANAlmolonga01p2"/>
Cabricán	Mam	19,281	4th Friday of Lent<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.49.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Juarroz Méndez 2004, p.3.</ref>
Cajolá	Mam	9,868	3 May<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref>Cirín Rodriguez 2004, p.16.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Cirín Rodriguez 2004, p.17.</ref>
Cantel	Kʼicheʼ	30,888	12–17 August<ref name="Galindo08p1">Galindo 2008, p.1.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="Galindo08p4">Galindo 2008, p.4.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="Galindo08p4"/>
Coatepeque	Mam	94,186	12–18 March<ref name="Rouanet18">Rouanet et al 1992, p.18.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>González Estrada 2003, p.5.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>González Estrada 2003, p.6.</ref>
Colomba	Mam	38,746	14–16 January, 26 August<ref name="SalazarMorales04p20"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="SalazarMorales04p20">Salazar Morales 2004, p.20.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>FADES & Programa de Apoyo al Proceso de Descentralización (Aprodesc), p.4.</ref>
Concepción Chiquirichapa	Mam	15,912	6–9 December<ref>INFORPRESSCA 2010.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniConcepcion">Municipalidad de Concepción Chiquirichapa (1).</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniConcepcion"/>
El Palmar	Kʼicheʼ	22,917	23–25 July<ref name="monografias.com">www.monografias.com Template:In lang</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="monografias.com"/>	Template:Convert<ref group="nb">Although administered by the Department of Quetzaltenango, some of the municipality lies geographically within the department of Retalhuleu after the relocation of the village following a series of natural disasters provoked by the Santiaguito volcano.</ref><ref name="monografias.com"/>
Flores Costa Cuca	Mam	19,405	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="LopezArchila08p5">López Archila 2008, p.5.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="LopezArchila08p5"/>
Génova	Mam	30,531	8 December<ref>Municipalidad de Génova (2).</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniGenova1">Municipalidad de Génova (1).</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniGenova1"/>
Huitán	Mam	9,769	25 December<ref name="MuniHuitan2"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniHuitan1">Municipalidad de Huitán (1).</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniHuitan1"/>
La Esperanza	Mam	14,497	28 April–5 May<ref>SEGEPLAN 2010a, p.15.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>García Oliveros 2008, pp.3-4.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>García Oliveros 2008, p.3.</ref>
Olintepeque	Kʼicheʼ	22,544	24 June<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniOlintepeque1">Municipalidad de Olintepeque (1).</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniOlintepeque1"/>
Palestina de Los Altos	Mam	11,682	1st Friday of Lent<ref>SEGEPLAN 2010b, p.16.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Del Valle Solis 2004, p.23.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Del Valle Solis 2004, p.22.</ref>
Quetzaltenango	Ladino/Kʼicheʼ	127,569	15 September<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="AlfaroMancia05p14">Alfaro Mancía et al 2005, p.14.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="AlfaroMancia05p13">Alfaro Mancía et al 2005, p.13.</ref>
Salcajá	Ladino/Kʼicheʼ	14,829	25 August<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="CalderonArango05p1">Calderón Arango 2005, p.1.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="CalderonArango05p1"/>
San Carlos Sija	Kʼicheʼ	28,389	7–15 December<ref>Municipalidad de San Carlos Sija 2009, p.21.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniSanCarlosSija09p23"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="MuniSanCarlosSija09p23">Municipalidad de San Carlos Sija 2009, p.23.</ref>
San Francisco La Unión	Kʼicheʼ	7,403	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>SEGEPLAN 2010c, p.10.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
San Juan Ostuncalco	Mam	41,150	2 February<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref>Melgar Ruiz 2008, p.6.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Melgar Ruiz 2008, p.7.</ref>
San Martín Sacatepéquez	Mam	20,712	8–11 November<ref name="BarillasMorales04p18"/>	Template:Convert<ref>Barillas Morales 2004, p.19.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="BarillasMorales04p18">Barillas Morales 2004, p.18.</ref>
San Mateo	Kʼicheʼ	4,982	10–22 September<ref>Echeverria Morataya 2008, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Echeverria Morataya 2008, p.4.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>Echeverria Morataya 2008, p.5.</ref>
San Miguel Sigüilá	Mam	6,506	29 September<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref>SEGEPLAN 2009, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>SEGEPLAN 2009, p.1.</ref>
Sibilia	Kʼicheʼ	7,796	15 January<ref name="HernandezGonzalez04"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="MoralesYantuche08p1"/>	Template:Convert<ref name="MoralesYantuche08p1">Morales Yantuche 2008, p.1.</ref>
Zunil	Kʼicheʼ	11,274	25 November<ref name="LarezGuitz08p2">Larez Guitz 2008, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref>González Cano 2008, p.2.</ref>	Template:Convert<ref name="LarezGuitz08p2"/>

Notable peopleEdit

File:Manuel Estrada Cabrera 01.jpg

Former president Manuel Estrada Cabrera, a native of Quetzaltenango

Former presidents of Guatemala Manuel Estrada Cabrera and Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán were from the department of Quetzaltenango.<ref name="Rouanet12"/> Manuel Estrada was born in the city of Quetzaltenango on 21 November 1857, Jacobo Árbenz was born in the same city on 14 September 1913.<ref>Gaitán 2004?, pp.73, 116.</ref> Quetzaltenango Department also produced the musicians Jesús Castillo, writer of the Quiché Winak opera, and his brother Ricardo Castillo, as well as the classical musician Mariano Valverde.<ref name="Rouanet12"/> Another notable musician was Francisco "Paco" Pérez, who wrote the Luna de Xelajú waltz.<ref>Rouanet et al 1992, pp.12-13.</ref> Guatemalan historian Adrián Inés Chávez, who produced a Spanish translation of the Popul Vuh, was also from the department.<ref name="Rouanet13">Rouanet et al 1992, p.13.</ref>