Retalhuleu is a department

Departments of Guatemala

||Guatemala is divided into 22 departments :#Alta Verapaz#Baja Verapaz#Chimaltenango#Chiquimula#Petén#El Progreso#El Quiché#Escuintla#Guatemala#Huehuetenango#Izabal#Jalapa#Jutiapa#Quetzaltenango#Retalhuleu#Sacatepéquez...

 located in the south-west of Guatemala

Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...

, extending from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 coast. It has an area of 1856 km². In 2002 the population of the Department of Retalhuleu was 241,411. The capital is the city of Retalhuleu

Retalhuleu

The city of Retalhuleu is in south-western Guatemala. It is the departmental seat of Retalhuleu department as well as the municipal seat of Retalhuleu municipality....

.

The largest Native American group in the state is the K'iche' (Quiché) Maya people. The department contains a number of Pre-Columbian

Pre-Columbian

The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...

 ruins, including Takalik Abaj

Takalik Abaj

Tak'alik Ab'aj is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Guatemala; it was formerly known as Abaj Takalik; its ancient name may have been Kooja. It is one of several Mesoamerican sites with both Olmec and Maya features...

 and San Juan Noj.

Municipalities

The Department is divided into nine municipalities:

1. Champerico
   Champerico
   Champerico is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department in southwestern Guatemala. It is a popular vacation spot for Guatemalans in the region. The picturesque beach town was founded on the Pacific Ocean in 1872 and the paved road to Retalhuleu makes Champerico one of the most important ports...
   
   
2. El Asintal
   El Asintal
   El Asintal is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala. The ruins of the Mesoamerican city of Takalik Abaj are within the municipality....
   
   
3. Nuevo San Carlos
   Nuevo San Carlos
   Nuevo San Carlos is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala....
   
   
4. Retalhuleu
5. San Andrés Villa Seca
   San Andrés Villa Seca
   San Andrés Villa Seca is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala....
   
   
6. San Felipe
   San Felipe, Retalhuleu
   San Felipe is a municipality in the department of Retalhuleu, situated on the road to Quetzaltenango between El Palmar, Quetzaltenango to the north-west and San Martin Zapotitlan to the south side.-Geography:...
   
   
7. San Martín Zapotitlán
   San Martín Zapotitlán
   San Martín Zapotitlán is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala.This town has one catholic church....
   
   
8. San Sebastián
   San Sebastián, Retalhuleu
   San Sebastián is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala....
   
   
9. Santa Cruz Muluá
   Santa Cruz Muluá
   Santa Cruz Muluá is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department of Guatemala. It is situated 180 km from Guatemala City. The administrative center is bounded by the Samalá River to the west, which serves as the border with San Sebastián. Santa Cruz Muluá borders on the north with San Martín...
   
   

External links

• www.retalhuleu.com Official Site
• Interactive department map