Momostenango
Encyclopedia
Momostenango is a municipality
in the Totonicapán department
of Guatemala
. The municipality is situated in the North-West of Totonicapán, in the Western highlands of Guatemala.
The municipality is subdivided in the town of Momostenango, 14 villages and 169 smaller communities called caseríos or parajes.
Momostenango is the birthplace of the Maya K'iche' poet Humberto Ak'ab'al
(1952- ), who writes in K'iche' (Quiché)
and in Spanish
.
(Huehuetenango
, San Bartolo
and Santa Lucía La Reforma
, to its South with San Francisco El Alto
and the municipality of Totonicapán
, to the East with Santa María Chiquimula
, and to the West with San Carlos Sija
(Quezaltenango
).
The municipality's territory of 305 km2 has a mountainous topography with elevations ranging from 1800 m in the North-East, to 3300 m (Cerro Tená) to the West. The mountains on its western border are a watershed for the Salinas and Samalá river
basins. Most of the 49 waterflows are afluents of the Chixoy River
in the Salinas
river basin.
Like most of the central highlands, the climate is relatively cold, and is marked by a rainy season starting half may, and a dry season starting in October. Yearly precipitation is around 1200 mm, except for the much dryer northern part of the municipality which receives 400–800 mm of rainfall.
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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...
in the Totonicapán 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...
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...
. The municipality is situated in the North-West of Totonicapán, in the Western highlands of Guatemala.
Population
Momostenango's population is predominantly of Maya K'iche' descent. 70% of the population live in rural areas and most are small farmers growing maize and beans for their own consumption, as well as wheat.The municipality is subdivided in the town of Momostenango, 14 villages and 169 smaller communities called caseríos or parajes.
Momostenango is the birthplace of the Maya K'iche' poet Humberto Ak'ab'al
Humberto Ak'ab'al
Humberto Ak'ab'al also Ak'abal or Akabal is a K'iche' Maya poet from Guatemala. His poetry has been published in French, English, Scots, German, and Italian translations, as well as in the original K'iche' and Spanish...
(1952- ), who writes in K'iche' (Quiché)
K'iche' language
The K’iche’ language is a part of the Mayan language family. It is spoken by many K'iche' people in the central highlands of Guatemala. With close to a million speakers , it is the second-most widely spoken language in the country after Spanish...
and in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
Geography
Momostenango borders to the North with the municipalities of MalacatancitoMalacatancito
Malacatancito is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Huehuetenango....
(Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango (department)
Huehuetenango is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. It is situated in the western highlands and shares borders with México in the north and west; with El Quiché in the east, with Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango, and San Marcos to the south. The capital is the city of Huehuetenango.Huehuetenango's...
, San Bartolo
San Bartolo
San Bartolo is the Spanish name for Saint Bartholomew. In Spanish speaking countries it is often used as a part of placenames.It may for example refer to:* San Bartolo, Totonicapán, in Guatemala* San Bartolo near Tikal in Guatemala...
and Santa Lucía La Reforma
Santa Lucía La Reforma
Santa Lucía La Reforma is a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala....
, to its South with San Francisco El Alto
San Francisco El Alto
San Francisco El Alto is a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala.The municipality includes the villages or aldeas of: Chivarreto, Chirrenox, Pabatoc, Paxixil, Rancho de Teja, Pachaj, Sacmixit, San Antonio Sija, Saquicol Chiquito, and Tacajalbé...
and the municipality of Totonicapán
Totonicapán
Totonicapán is a city in Guatemala. It serves as the capital of the department of Totonicapán and as the administrative seat for the surrounding municipality of Totonicapán.- External links :# #...
, to the East with Santa María Chiquimula
Santa María Chiquimula
Santa María Chiquimula is a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala....
, and to the West with San Carlos Sija
San Carlos Sija
San Carlos Sija is a municipality in the Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala.-External links:* *...
(Quezaltenango
Quetzaltenango (department)
Quetzaltenango is a department in the western highlands of Guatemala. The capital is the city of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala. The inhabitants include Spanish-speaking Ladinos and the K'iche' and Mam Maya groups, both with their own Maya language...
).
The municipality's territory of 305 km2 has a mountainous topography with elevations ranging from 1800 m in the North-East, to 3300 m (Cerro Tená) to the West. The mountains on its western border are a watershed for the Salinas and Samalá river
Samalá River
The Samalá is a river in Southwest Guatemala. Its sources are located in the Sierra Madre range, in the departments of Totonicapán and Quetzaltenango...
basins. Most of the 49 waterflows are afluents of the Chixoy River
Chixoy River
The Chixoy River or Río Negro is a river in Guatemala. The river is called Río Negro from its sources in the highlands of Huehuetenango and El Quiché until it reaches the Chixoy hydroelectric dam , where the Río Salamá and Rio Carchela converge with the Río Negro...
in the Salinas
Salinas River (Guatemala)
The Salinas is a river in Guatemala. The river is called Chixoy River from its sources in the highlands of Huehuetenango and El Quiché until it reaches the Chixoy hydroelectric dam , where the Río Salama and Rio Carchela converge with the Río Negro...
river basin.
Like most of the central highlands, the climate is relatively cold, and is marked by a rainy season starting half may, and a dry season starting in October. Yearly precipitation is around 1200 mm, except for the much dryer northern part of the municipality which receives 400–800 mm of rainfall.
External links
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