Somoto, Madriz
Encyclopedia
Somoto, meaning The Valley of Geese, is a town
located in the hills of northern Nicaragua
around 20 km south-west of Ocotal
, and is in the municipality
of Madriz. It was founded as a town in 1867, and since 1936, has been the capital
of Madriz. Somoto is also home to the Somoto Canyon
, a relatively big tourist attraction in Nicaragua. Somoto has a total population of approximately 40,000 with 15,000 people living in the urban area and 25,000 in 48 nearby communities.
Notable people from Somoto include Carlos Mejía Godoy
and Luis Enrique
, both popular musicians in Nicaragua. The Real Madriz
football team is located in Somoto.
. The Merced
/Somoto Sister City Committee was formed in 1988 by members of the Merced Central America Support Group, who were matched with Somoto by the Nicaraguan Embassy. In March 1992 were granted official Sister City status by a unanimous vote of the Merced City Council.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in the hills of northern Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
around 20 km south-west of Ocotal
Ocotal
Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua, Central America.-Description:Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua with light industry and crafts. The main agricultural production is coffee. The city, which has a population of 31,932 , is located...
, and is in the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Madriz. It was founded as a town in 1867, and since 1936, has been the capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Madriz. Somoto is also home to the Somoto Canyon
Somoto Canyon National Monument
Somoto Canyon National Monument is a canyon located in the Madriz department of Nicaragua. The Somoto Canyon National Monument protected area covers an area of approximately , of which are in the actual zone of the canyon.The Somoto Canyon was declared a national monument on November 29, 2005...
, a relatively big tourist attraction in Nicaragua. Somoto has a total population of approximately 40,000 with 15,000 people living in the urban area and 25,000 in 48 nearby communities.
Notable people from Somoto include Carlos Mejía Godoy
Carlos Mejía Godoy
Carlos Mejía Godoy is a Nicaraguan musician, composer and singer. He was born in Somoto, Madriz. Son of Carlos Mejía Fajardo and María Elsa Godoy, his brother Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, three years younger than he is, is also an acclaimed and much-loved musician. Carlos and Luis Enrique were...
and Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique (singer)
Luis Enrique Mejía López, is a Nicaraguan singer and composer. He started his career in the late 1980s and achieved success in the 1990s earning the title "El Principe de la Salsa . He was one of the leading pioneers that led to the salsa romantica movement in the 1980s...
, both popular musicians in Nicaragua. The Real Madriz
Real Madriz
Real Madriz FC is a Nicaraguan football team playing at the top level. It is based in Somoto.-Clásico de las Segovias :The club's nearest neighbour is Deportivo Ocotal, a rivalry being shared between fans of both football teams.-Current squad:...
football team is located in Somoto.
History
In pre-Hispanic times Somoto was populated by Olmecs and Aztecs who emigrated from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The Merced
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
/Somoto Sister City Committee was formed in 1988 by members of the Merced Central America Support Group, who were matched with Somoto by the Nicaraguan Embassy. In March 1992 were granted official Sister City status by a unanimous vote of the Merced City Council.