Erandique Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Erandique
Municipality
Panoramic view of Erandique
Erandique Location in Honduras
Country	Honduras
Department	Lempira
Founded	1600
City since	3 March 1932; 93 years ago (1932-03-03)
Area
• Total	294 km² (114 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• Total	15,633
• Density	53.17/km² (137.72/sq mi)
Climate	Aw

Erandique is a town and a local government area (called a municipality) in the Lempira Department of Honduras. It's a beautiful place with a rich history and stunning natural surroundings.

To get to Erandique, you can travel about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the city of Gracias. There are a couple of roads that lead there. One main road connects Erandique to other nearby towns like San Francisco and San Andrés. There's even a small grass airstrip nearby called Erandique (Gualguire) Airport, about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) east of the town.

History of Erandique
Geography and Nature
- Erandique's Neighbors
What Erandique Produces
People of Erandique
Visiting Erandique
- Local Celebrations
Gallery
See also

History of Erandique

Erandique was first established way back in 1600. It was originally known as "Cerquin" because it sits on the west side of the Cerquin hill. Official records show it was registered in 1733.

Over time, some of the old records were lost. But on February 14, 1882, new documents were created to replace them. Erandique is one of the oldest municipalities in the area. It officially became a city on March 3, 1932.

Geography and Nature

Erandique is known for its amazing natural beauty. The town is surrounded by thick pine forests. You can also find some Sweetgum (Liquidambar) trees, which are quite special.

The land here is very hilly and rugged. The weather is usually cool during the rainy season, which lasts from May to October. It gets warmer during the dry season. The soil is mostly from volcanic rocks. When it rains a lot, the unpaved roads can get very slippery and sometimes wash away, making it hard to travel. Many local people still use wood from the pine forests for fuel.

Erandique's Neighbors

Erandique shares its borders with several other places:

North: Santa Cruz municipality and the Intibuca department.
South: Piraera and San Francisco municipalities.
East: The Intibuca department.
West: San Andrés and Gualcince municipalities.
Total Area: Erandique covers an area of 294 square kilometers (114 square miles).

What Erandique Produces

Coffee is a very important crop for Erandique. The coffee farms are mostly found in the villages and mountains around the town, especially on "Cerquin" hill. This means Erandique is a central place for collecting and processing coffee beans.

Besides coffee, farmers also grow corn and beans. Some people grow vegetables and raise small groups of cattle. The town has modern services like electricity and phone service. There's also a small hospital in Erandique that can help people. For serious medical cases, patients are taken to Gracias. A group of volunteers from the United States also runs a small clinic to help those in need.

You can catch a bus to Gracias or La Esperanza once a day. There's also a gas station and places to fix flat tires.

People of Erandique

About half of the people living in Erandique are descendants of the original native people of the area, mainly the Lenca people. The other half are Mestizo, which means they have a mixed background. During holidays and special events, you can often see the direct descendants of the native people, who sometimes prefer to live a bit more separately.

In 2013, a census showed that Erandique municipality had a population of 15,242 people. Most of them (about 80%) were Indigenous, mainly Lenca. The rest were Mestizo, Black, White, or other groups.

Visiting Erandique

Erandique is known for its beautiful scenery, especially its pine and sweetgum forests. The people in Erandique are friendly and welcoming to visitors.

If you visit, you can find a few places with internet access. There are also several restaurants where you can try local dishes. One restaurant offers a wider variety of food, including seafood, which comes from the coastal city of La Ceiba.

In the downtown area, you'll see many old houses made of adobe (a type of mud brick). Some streets are paved with rocks, and there are two very old churches you can visit.

Local Celebrations

Erandique has several special days they celebrate:

January 20: "San Sebastian" day.
June 13: "San Antonio" day.
September 8: "Virgen de La Merced" day.
July 20: This is a very important day called "Lempira" national day. It celebrates the first national hero, Chief Lempira, who bravely fought against the Spanish conquerors.