Masatepe

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{expand Spanish|date=June 2023|topic=geo}} {{Infobox settlement   | name = Masatepe | native_name = Masatepek<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.enriquebolanos.org/media/publicacion/LL_ToponimiasindigenasNicaraguaJaimeIncer.pdf|title= Indigenous place names of Nicaragua}}</ref> | other_name = | settlement_type = Municipality | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = Sunset over Masatepe. Visible on the power lines is the curious grass that grows on them there | image_flag = File:Bandera de Masatepe.png | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | nickname = | motto =  | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Nicaragua | pushpin_label_position = left | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Nicaragua | coordinates = {{coord|11|55|N|86|09|W|region:NI|display=inline}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Nicaragua}} | subdivision_type1 = Department | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name1 = Masaya | subdivision_name2 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | established_title2 =  | established_date2 = | established_title3 =  | established_date3 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | unit_pref = Imperial  | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 59.4 | area_total_sq_mi =  | area_land_km2 =  | area_water_km2 = | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m = 475 | elevation_ft =  | population_total = 41809 | population_as_of = 2022 estimate | population_footnotes = <ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/nicaragua/admin/masatepe/6025/ Citypopulation.de] Population of Masatepe municipality</ref> | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | population_urban = 22978 | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_note = | postal_code_type = 42600 | postal_code = | area_code = 42600 | website = | footnotes = | timezone = | utc_offset = | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = Aw | official_name = Masatepe }}

'''Masatepe''' (Nawat: ''Masatepek''), ({{IPA|es|masaˈtepe}}) is one of the nine municipalities of the Masaya Department in Nicaragua. It is located on the plateau of the villages 50 kilometers from Managua along the road to Masaya. It belongs to the tourist corridor of " Los Pueblos Blancos" on top of the coffee-producing Volcanic Plateau. The origin of the word "Masatepe" comes from the Nawat language and is named after the Nahua chiefdom of Masatepek, which was located in the present-day department of Masaya.<ref>Vida de González Dávila, Gil. Ávila, c. 1480 – 21.IV.1526. Descubridor y conquistador. et al., 2012</ref><ref>Historia general y natural de las Indias, islas y tierra-firme del mar océano; por el Capitán Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés; Primer Cronista del Nuevo Mundo; publícala la Real Academia de la Historia.- Tomo IV.- Libro XLII.- Capitulo XIII.</ref><ref>Colonización de américa, cuando la historia marcha, de Oviedo y Valdés, Gonzalo c. 1480 - 1557, 2006</ref> Masatepek is a combination of the Nawat words ''Masat'' (deer),<ref name="Campbell1985">{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Lyle|title=The Pipil Language of El Salvador|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N5bmUh7jproC&pg=PA10|date=January 1, 1985|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-088199-8|pages=10–12}}</ref> and ''-tepek'' (hill).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revistas.unam.mx/index.php/antropologia/article/view/22958|title= El Nawat de Cuzcatlan}}</ref> The literal translation of Masatepek is "deer hill". The Indigenous inhabitants of Masaya are the Nahuas and the Chorotegas, and the Nahuas who still inhabit the municipality dominate the cocoa production in Masatepe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalogosiidca.csuca.org/Record/UNANL.13389|title= Preparation of a hygiene plan for the Nicaraos microenterprise cocoa industry in the department of Masaya}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cadenacacaoca.info/CDOC-Deployment/documentos/InformeNicaragua.pdf|title= Nicaragua National Report}}</ref>

== History and Etymology ==

The name ''Masatepe'' originates from the Nawat language, and is a combination of the Nawat words ''Masat'' (deer), and ''-tepek'' (hill).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mined.gob.sv/nawat/modulos/taksalis_1/MODULO%201.pdf#:~:text=El%20n%C3%A1huat%2C%20catalogada%20como%20lengua%20en%20peligro,dialectos%20o%20variaciones%20dialectales%20en%20algunos%20municipios.|title= ¡Hablemos náhuat! (page 64 of 95)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://revistas.ues.edu.sv/index.php/launiversidad/article/view/998/922|title= PIPIL DIALECTOLOGY}}</ref> Therefore the literal translation of Masatepek is "deer hill", and was named by the Nahuas in reference to the white-tailed deer that inhabit the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nicaragua-travels.com/granada-region/masaya#:~:text=What%20an%20incredible%20opportunity%20to,to%20hundreds%20of%20bat%20nests.|title= Masaya, Nicaragua: town, volcano & crafts market}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nicaragua-travels.com/blog/news/masaya-volcano-practical-information#:~:text=Despite%20ongoing%20volcanic%20activity%20and,andtrees%20adapted%20to%20arid%20soils.|title= Visit Masaya volcano in Nicaragua: Practical guide}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nicaliving.com/masaya/volcano-national-park/#:~:text=The%20eruptions%20have%20had%20a,deer%2C%20iguanas%2C%20and%20monkeys.|title= Masaya Volcano National Park}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/522700-Odocoileus-virginianus-nemoralis/browse_photos#:~:text=Photos%20of%20Nicaraguan%20white%2Dtailed,Subspecies%20Odocoileus%20virginianus%20nemoralis)%20%C2%B7%20iNaturalist|title= Photos of Nicaraguan White-tailed deer}}</ref> In addition, Masatepek was a Nahua chiefdom located in what is now the Masaya department. The Nahuas of Masatepek inhabited Nindiri, Niquinohomo, Monimbó, and Masatepe, and coexisted with the Chorotegas who also inhabited Masaya, as well as Chibchan minorities who were assimilated into Nahua culture and society.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Indigenous People of Mesoamerica and Central America|last=Carmack|first=Robert|publisher=Lexington Books|year=2017|isbn=9781498558976|pages=81–83}}</ref><ref>Los Indios precolombinos de Nicaragua y Costa Rica en los siglos XV y XVI, 2009 - Bolaños, Enrique</ref><ref>Historia de la Gran Nicoya en el sur de Mesoamérica, Jiménez-Santana 1997</ref><ref>Colonización de américa, cuando la historia marcha, de Oviedo y Valdés, Gonzalo c. 1480 - 1557, 2006</ref><ref>Historia general y natural de las Indias, islas y tierra-firme del mar océano; por el Capitán Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés; Primer Cronista del Nuevo Mundo; publícala la Real Academia de la Historia. Tomo IV. Libro XLII. Capitulo XIII.</ref>

== Weather and Location == Masatepe is located on top of the Plateau of towns, at an altitude of 475m, the total area can be divided into two main different types of biomes:

1- Rain forest (Usually has native trees and Coffee Plantations. Elv: (400 - 500m)

2- Dry Valley. ( can be found near the coast of the Lagoon, and the Masaya Volcano ). Elv: (90 - 250m)

The temperature fluctuates during the year, being mostly warm. During the winter months (November - January) the temperatures become cooler, and there are usually foggy mornings.

{{Weather box | width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Masatepe (1971–1990) | Jan high C = 27.4 | Feb high C = 28.4 | Mar high C = 30.1 | Apr high C = 31.1 | May high C = 30.5 | Jun high C = 28.4 | Jul high C = 27.7 | Aug high C = 28.2 | Sep high C = 28.7 | Oct high C = 27.8 | Nov high C = 27.4 | Dec high C = 27.0 | year high C = 28.6 | Jan mean C = 23.1 | Feb mean C = 23.7 | Mar mean C = 24.9 | Apr mean C = 25.8 | May mean C = 25.9 | Jun mean C = 24.0 | Jul mean C = 24.4 | Aug mean C = 24.6 | Sep mean C = 24.5 | Oct mean C = 24.1 | Nov mean C = 23.7 | Dec mean C = 23.2 | year mean C = 24.3 | Jan low C = 18.8 | Feb low C = 18.9 | Mar low C = 18.4 | Apr low C = 20.4 | May low C = 21.1 | Jun low C = 21.0 | Jul low C = 20.0 | Aug low C = 20.9 | Sep low C = 20.7 | Oct low C = 20.4 | Nov low C = 20.4 | Dec low C = 19.4 | year low C = 20.0 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 12 | Feb precipitation mm = 10 | Mar precipitation mm = 5 | Apr precipitation mm = 17 | May precipitation mm = 203 | Jun precipitation mm = 185 | Jul precipitation mm = 141 | Aug precipitation mm = 172 | Sep precipitation mm = 273 | Oct precipitation mm = 239 | Nov precipitation mm = 84 | Dec precipitation mm = 29 | year precipitation mm = 1370 | unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 4 | Feb precipitation days = 1 | Mar precipitation days = 1 | Apr precipitation days = 2 | May precipitation days = 11 | Jun precipitation days = 18 | Jul precipitation days = 17 | Aug precipitation days = 17 | Sep precipitation days = 18 | Oct precipitation days = 19 | Nov precipitation days = 10 | Dec precipitation days = 7 | year precipitation days = 124 | source 1 = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/normals-old/WMO/1961-1990/RA-IV/NK/00069049.TXT |title = Station Name: MASATEPE |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |format = TXT |access-date = 17 September 2024}}</ref> }}

==Sports== The town is home of football club Deportivo Masatepe.

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060209061549/http://masatepe.gob.ni/ Alcaldía Municipal de Masatepe] Official Web Site of Masatepe (Spanish) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070606201631/http://masatepe.org/ Masatepe.org] In the internet since 2001. General Information about the city, photos, videos and much more about this city, including a virtual tour (Spanish) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20170914001817/http://masatepecity.com/ MasatepeCity.com] Information and videos of Masatepe (Spanish) *[https://www.masatepe.de] Web site of the Partnerschaftsverein Kreis Gross-Gerau - Masatepe (German, Spanish)

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Populated places in Nicaragua Category:Municipalities of the Masaya Department