Chontales

Chontales is derived from the indigenous word Chontal, that means town of or foreigner outside. According to archaeological data, the first Chontales tribes populated these zones between year 600 and 630 with the Christian era. One knows that these tribes were seasoned and were one of the last ones in being put under by the Spaniards during the conquest of the Nicaraguan territory.

An official registry does not exist on the foundation of the department of Chontales, but he was in fact one of the 7 departments that the country in century XIX had. The city of Juigalpa, departmental head, presents/displays an historical registry of many centuries, and although this population already existed like an indigenous establishment, is only mentioned in 1659, when the mayor of that time, Don Jero'nimo de Villegas, asks for earth to the seated Spanish representatives in Guatemala. Perhaps the 24 of April of 1668 can be considered the date of foundation of this city and of the department like so, since at that time such request was approved.

The city of Juigalpa was elevated to the rank of Villa the 4 of February of 1862 and to city the 27 of January of 1879. In 1935 the territorial extension of the department is reduced with the creation of the department of Boaco and soon in 1949 with the separation of the territory of which today it is the department of Rio San Juan.

Chontales serves from entrance to the region of the Atlantic of Nicaragua, reason for which has a flourishing economy. Their main economic activities are in the cattle ranch. It provides with accomodations in his territory the valley of Mayales and the mountain range of Amerrisque (today a natural reserve), that has seeded uncertainty on its influence in the origin of the name of the continent.

Capital	Juigalpa
Location	Central Nicaragua
Bordering Departments	North - Boaco South - Rio San Juan East - Region Autonoma Atlantico Sur West - Lago de Nicaragua
Population	144,635
Area km2	6,378
Cities	Juigalpa, Acoyapa, Comalapa, La Libertad, San Pedro de Lovago, Santo Domingo, Santo Tomas, Villa San Francisco, El Coral, Cuapa