Escuintla facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Escuintla
Municipality
Escuintla, Guatemala
Flag Seal
Escuintla Location in Guatemala
Country	Guatemala
Department	Escuintla
Municipality	Escuintla
Government
• Type	Municipal
Area
• Municipality	545 km2 (210 sq mi)
Elevation	355 m (1,165 ft)
Population  (census 2018)
• Municipality	156,313
• Density	286.81/km2 (742.8/sq mi)
• Urban	156,313
• Religions	Roman Catholicism Evangelicalism
Climate	Am

Escuintla (pronounced es-KWEENT-lah) is an important city in Guatemala. It's known for its many factories and for growing a lot of sugar cane. The city is also the capital of the Escuintla Department. People in Escuintla celebrate a special fair from December 6 to 9.

In 2018, about 156,313 people lived in Escuintla. The city is located where the central highlands meet the Pacific coast.

What Does Escuintla Mean?

Many towns in Guatemala have names that come from two main sources. Some are named after Catholic saints. Others have names with roots in the Nahuatl language. This is because when Pedro de Alvarado and his Spanish soldiers invaded the area in the 1520s, they had indigenous Tlaxcaltec allies who spoke Nahuatl.

The name Escuintla comes from the Nahuatl words:

• «Itzcuintli»: This word means "dog."
• «tlan»: This word means "abundance" or "place of."

So, Escuintla means "abundance of dogs" or "place of dogs."

A Look at Escuintla's Past

Escuintla used to be a very important stop for trains. These trains traveled to Puerto San José, a port city. However, the train service stopped in 2007.

How Escuintla Makes Money

Escuintla is one of the most industrial areas in Guatemala. This means it has many factories and businesses. A very important farm product grown here is sugar cane. Other key products include tobacco, seafood, and cattle.

The region of Escuintla, which touches the Pacific Ocean, produces about 43 percent of Guatemala's total economic output. It has very low unemployment and extreme poverty compared to other parts of Guatemala.

Nature and Location

The city of Escuintla includes two villages and 12 smaller communities nearby. The area has seven mountains, 55 rivers, nine streams, and 21 brooks.

Where is Escuintla Located?

Escuintla is surrounded by several other towns and areas.

• To the north, you'll find Yepocapa (in the Chimaltenango Department) and Alotenango (in the Sacatepéquez Department).
• To the east are Palin, San Vicente Pacaya, and Guanagazapa (all in the Escuintla Department).
• To the south is Masagua (also in the Escuintla Department).
• To the west are La Democracia, Siquinalá, and Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa (all in the Escuintla Department).

Getting Around Escuintla

Today, two major highways, CA-2 and CA-9, pass through Escuintla. These roads help people and goods travel easily.

Sports in Escuintla

The local football (soccer) team is called Juventud Escuintleca. They play their home games at the Estadio Ricardo Muñoz Gálvez. The team currently plays in the second division of Guatemalan football.

Escuintla's Weather

Escuintla has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has warm temperatures all year round and a lot of rain during certain months.

		Yepocapa, Chimaltenango municipality Alotenango, Sacatepéquez municipality
	La Democracia, Siquinalá and Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla municipalities		Palín, San Vicente Pacaya and Guanagazapa, Escuintla municipalities
		Escuintla
		Masagua, Escuintla municipality

See also

In Spanish: Escuintla (ciudad) para niños