Chontales Department facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chontales
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Department
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| Country |  Nicaragua |
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| Capital | Juigalpa | |
| Area | ||
| • Department | 6,481 km2 (2,502 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2021 estimate)
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| • Department | 191,856 | |
| • Density | 29.6028/km2 (76.671/sq mi) | |
| • Urban | 118,625 | |
| ISO 3166-2 | NI-CO | |
Chontales is a region, also called a department, in Nicaragua. It covers an area of about 6,481 square kilometers. Over 190,000 people live there. The main city and capital of Chontales is Juigalpa.
A long part of Chontales, about 90 kilometers, is next to Lake Cocibolca (also known as Lake Nicaragua). People in Chontales mostly work with farm animals and fishing. They also grow a lot of apples!
Contents
Where is Chontales Located?
Chontales is in the central-southwest part of Nicaragua. It shares borders with other regions. To the north is the Boaco Department. The Río San Juan Department is to the south. The South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region is to the east. To the west, it's next to Lake Cocibolca.
The land in Chontales has hills near Lake Cocibolca. There's also a mountain range called Serranía Chontaleña. Gentle hills lead towards the Caribbean coast. The Cuisalá River flows through the northwest part of the region. It's a smaller river that joins the Mayales River. The part of Lake Cocibolca's shore in Chontales is about 90 kilometers long. It stretches between the Tecolostote River and the Oyate River.
Cities and Towns
The Chontales region is divided into 10 smaller areas called municipalities. Each municipality has its own main town or city.
List of Municipalities
- Acoyapa
- Comalapa
- El Coral
- Juigalpa
- La Libertad
- San Francisco de Cuapa
- San Pedro de Lóvago
- Santo Domingo
- Santo Tomás
- Villa Sandino
What Chontales Produces
The economy of Chontales mainly focuses on raising farm animals. There are many plains and wet pastures near the lake and along the road to Rama. These areas are perfect for cattle herds.
Chontales is also a big producer of apples. One count showed they grew over 743,000 apples! This means 8% of all farming land in Nicaragua is used for apples. People in the region also do mining and fishing.
Cool Places to Visit
Chontales has some interesting places to explore.
Museums and Nature
- The Arqueológico Gregorio Aguilar Barea is a museum. It has many old objects made by the first people of Chontales. These items show how their society and culture grew over time.
- The Museo Comunitario Juigalpan María Ramos is in Juigalpa. This museum teaches a lot about the history and unique identity of the region.
- The Reserva Natural de Amerrique is a nature reserve. It's in a volcanic area within the department. It's a great place to see nature.
See also
In Spanish: Departamento de Chontales para niños
