Escuintla

{{Other uses}} {{Infobox settlement  | official_name = Escuintla | other_name = | native_name =  | nickname = | settlement_type = Municipality  | motto =  | image_skyline = Palin, Guatemala - panoramio (1).jpg | imagesize = 250px | image_caption = Escuintla, Guatemala | image_flag = Flag of Escuintla Department.svg | flag_size = | image_seal = Coat_of_arms_of_Escuintla.svg | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map = Guatemala | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Guatemala | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Image:Flag of Guatemala.svg|25px]] [[Guatemala]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Departments of Guatemala|Department]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Image:Flag of Escuintla Department.svg|25px]] [[Escuintla Department|Escuintla]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Municipality]] | subdivision_name2 = Escuintla | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = Municipal | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Abraham Rivera | leader_title1 =  | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title =  | established_date = | established_title2 =  | established_date2 = | established_title3 =  | established_date3 =  | area_magnitude = | unit_pref =  | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 545 | area_land_km2 =  | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = census 2018 | population_note = | population_total = 156313 | population_footnotes = <ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/guatemala/admin/ Citypopulation.de] Population of departments and municipalities in Guatemala</ref> | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = 156313 | population_urban_footnotes =<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/guatemala/cities/ Citypopulation.de] Population of the major cities in Guatemala</ref> | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = Religions | population_blank2 = [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Evangelicalism]] | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  | timezone = | utc_offset = | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = {{coord|14|17|52|N|90|47|13|W|region:GT|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m = 355 | elevation_ft =  | postal_code_type =  | postal_code = | area_code = | blank_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]] | blank_info = [[Tropical monsoon climate|Am]] | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Escuintla''' ({{IPA|es|esˈkwintla}}) is an industrial city in [[Guatemala]], its land area is 4,384 km<sup>2</sup>, and it is nationally known for its sugar [[agribusiness]]. Its capital is a municipality with the same name. Citizens celebrate from December 6 to 9 with a small fair in honor of the Catholic religious holiday of [[The Immaculate Conception]].

In 2002 the city had a population of 86,678. It is located on the border of the central highlands and the Pacific coastal plain.

== Etymology == Many of the names of the [[Departments of Guatemala]] consist of one of two things: the name of a [[Catholic Church|catholic]] [[saint]] associated with the day the city was founded by Spanish Catholics or a description with [[Nahuatl|Náhuatl]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bedell|first=George|year=2011|title=The Nahuatl Language|journal=Language in India|volume=11|issue=11|pages=798–826|via=Communication & Mass Media Complete}}</ref> roots. These influences are due to the ethnicities of the troops under command of [[Pedro de Alvarado]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=Pedro de Alvarado, conquistador|last=Kelly|first=John Eoghan|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=1932|location=Princeton, New Jersey}}</ref> who [[Spanish conquest of Guatemala|invaded the region]] in 1520. The troops were composed of Spanish soldiers and indigenous [[Tlaxcaltec]] men.

The name Escuintla, comes from Nahuatl «Itzcuintlān», which composed of two words:

· «Itzcuintli»: means "dog"

· «-tlān»: is a suffix meaning "near" or "place of"

Therefore, Escuintla means "place of dogs" or "near the dogs".

== History == Escuintla used to be an important stop for trains going to [[Puerto San José]] until 2007.

==Economy== The city is among the more industrialized areas of the country. One of the most important agricultural products of the region is [[sugar cane]]. Other products are [[tobacco]], [[seafood]], and [[cattle]]. Escuintla is bathed by the waters of the Pacific, and produces about 43 percent of gross domestic product of Guatemala, is statistically the department, province or region in Mesoamerica with lower unemployment and [[extreme poverty]], this contrasts with the economic and social reality of Guatemala.

==Geography== The city of Escuintla consists of 2 villages and 12 surrounding communities. The area includes 7 mountains, 55 rivers, 9 streams, and 21 brooks.

===Geographic location=== To the north of the municipality of Escuintla is [[Yepocapa]] (municipality of [[Chimaltenango Department|Chimaltenango]]) and [[Alotenango]] (municipality of [[Sacatepéquez Department|Sacatepequez]]). To the East is [[Palín, Escuintla|Palin]], [[San Vicente Pacaya]], and [[Guanagazapa]] (municipality of [[Escuintla Department|Escuintla]]). To the south is [[Masagua]] (municipality of [[Escuintla Department|Escuintla]]) and the surfing village of [[El Paredón, Guatemala|El Paredón]]. To the west is [[La Democracia, Escuintla|La Democracia]], [[Siquinalá]], and [[Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa]] (municipality of [[Escuintla Department|Escuintla]]).

==Transportation== Today, the CA-2 and CA-9 [[highways]] cross here.

== Municipal Government == The government of the cities of Guatemala are made of a municipal council. This is in accordance with article 254 in the [[Constitution of Guatemala|Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala, 1965|last=Guatemala|last2=Pan American Union|last3=General Legal Division|publisher=Washington: Pan American Union, General Secretariat, Organization of American States|year=1966}}</ref> The municipal code, which is similar to the ordinary law and contains disposition that applies to all cities of Guatemala, establishes in article 9 that the municipal council covers the deliberations and decisions of municipal issues.

The municipal council integrates with accordance of what the Constitution declares in article 254 which says that the council consists of a mayor, trustees, and councilors that have been elected and may be reelected by the public for a period of four years. With respect to the municipal code, article 9 of the constitution explains that this system is done in all municipalities in accordance to the stated law.

The mayors of Escuintla: * 2016-2020: Abrahám Rivera Estévez

==Sports== [[Juventud Escuintleca]] football club play their home games at the [[Estadio Ricardo Muñoz Gálvez]]. Most recently they have again been playing in the [[Primera División de Ascenso|second tier of Guatemalan]] football.

==Climate==

Escuintla has a [[tropical monsoon climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Am'').

{{Weather box |location = Escuintla |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan mean C = 25.5 |Feb mean C = 25.7 |Mar mean C = 27.2 |Apr mean C = 27.3 |May mean C = 27.3 |Jun mean C = 26.5 |Jul mean C = 26.9 |Aug mean C = 26.7 |Sep mean C = 25.7 |Oct mean C = 25.2 |Nov mean C = 25.1 |Dec mean C = 25.1 |year mean C = |Jan high C = 31.9 |Feb high C = 32.1 |Mar high C = 33.4 |Apr high C = 33.3 |May high C = 32.5 |Jun high C = 31.2 |Jul high C = 31.5 |Aug high C = 31.2 |Sep high C = 30.2 |Oct high C = 30.1 |Nov high C = 30.4 |Dec high C = 31.0 |year high C = |Jan low C = 19.2 |Feb low C = 19.4 |Mar low C = 21.0 |Apr low C = 21.3 |May low C = 22.2 |Jun low C = 21.8 |Jul low C = 22.3 |Aug low C = 22.2 |Sep low C = 21.3 |Oct low C = 20.4 |Nov low C = 19.8 |Dec low C = 19.3 |year low C = |Jan precipitation mm = 7 |Feb precipitation mm = 13 |Mar precipitation mm = 30 |Apr precipitation mm = 93 |May precipitation mm = 333 |Jun precipitation mm = 555 |Jul precipitation mm = 337 |Aug precipitation mm = 360 |Sep precipitation mm = 581 |Oct precipitation mm = 417 |Nov precipitation mm = 85 |Dec precipitation mm = 15 |year precipitation mm = |source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref name="Climate-Data.org"> {{cite web|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/1005355/ |title = Climate: Escuintla |access-date = 24 August 2015 |publisher = Climate-Data.org}}</ref> }}

== Notable people == {{div col}} * [[Norma Torres]] (born 1965) – [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for [[California]]<ref>{{cite web |title=TORRES, Norma Judith |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/T000474 |website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=July 12, 2025}}</ref> {{div col end}}

==Geographic location==

{{Geographic location |Center=[[Escuintla, Escuintla|Escuintla]] |North= [[Yepocapa]], [[Chimaltenango Department|Chimaltenango]] municipality<br/>[[Alotenango]], [[Sacatepéquez Department|Sacatepéquez]] municipality |South= [[Masagua]], Escuintla municipality<ref name=segeplan/> |East= [[Palín, Escuintla|Palín]], [[San Vicente Pacaya]] and [[Guanagazapa]], [[Escuintla Department|Escuintla]] municipalities<ref name=segeplan>{{cite web|author=SEGEPLAN|title=Municipios de Escuintla, Guatemala|url=http://www.segeplan.gob.gt/2.0/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=category&id=7:escuintla|location=Guatemala|website=Secretaría General de Planificación y Programación de la Presidencia de la República|access-date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714014759/http://www.segeplan.gob.gt/2.0/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=category&id=7%3Aescuintla|archive-date=14 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> |West= [[La Democracia, Escuintla|La Democracia]], [[Siquinalá]] and [[Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa]], Escuintla municipalities }}

==See also== {{Portal|Guatemala|Geography}} *[[Escuintla Department]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060130004141/http://www.viajeaguatemala.com/english/Escuintla/1051016311050.htm Escuintla on prensalibre.com]

[[Category:Municipalities of the Escuintla Department]]