Lepaera Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lepaera
Municipality
Right before entering Lepaera
Lepaera Location in Honduras
Country	Honduras
Department	Lempira
City since	8 October 1956; 68 years ago (1956-10-08)
Area
• Total	312 km² (120 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• Total	37,876
• Density	121.40/km² (314.4/sq mi)

Lepaera is a town and a municipality (a type of local government area) in the Lempira department of Honduras. It has a warm, tropical climate all year round.

Lepaera is one of the oldest towns in the Lempira department. It is also the main town of its municipality. The distance from Lepaera to Gracias is about 15 kilometers (9 miles). The road is paved, but it has sharp turns, so drivers need to be careful.

History of Lepaera
Geography and Environment
Where is Lepaera?
What Lepaera Produces
People of Lepaera
- Who Lives in Lepaera?
Visiting Lepaera
Sports in Lepaera
Gallery
See also

History of Lepaera

Lepaera is considered an "autochthonous" settlement, which means it has been inhabited by its original people for a very long time. People like the Lencas, Toltecas, or Chorties Indians lived here as early as 1538. It is believed these groups came from the "Cuscatlán" region in El Salvador.

When Spanish colonists founded the city of Gracias between 1536 and 1538, Lepaera already existed, along with other towns. Lepaera officially became a city on October 8, 1956, by a special government order (Decree No. 81).

The old church in Lepaera

Geography and Environment

Lepaera is located at the base of "Puca" mountain and is surrounded by several other hills. The downtown area of the town has steep streets. The elevation of Lepaera is good for growing coffee plants.

The highest parts of the area have subtropical and pine forests. However, the weather in the main town is warm because many trees have been cut down (deforestation).

Where is Lepaera?

Lepaera shares its borders with several other places:

To the North: The Santa Barbara department.
To the South: The municipalities of Gracias and Las Flores.
To the East: The municipality of La Iguala and the Santa Barbara department.
To the West: The Copán department.
Lepaera covers an area of 312 square kilometers (about 120 square miles).

What Lepaera Produces

The most important business in Lepaera is growing, collecting, and processing coffee beans. This activity helps the city grow faster every year. The second most important activity is general commerce (buying and selling goods).

Lepaera has many hardware stores, grocery stores, and a gas station at the city's entrance. It also has electricity and mobile phone services. The town gets its water from wells and small streams that come from "Puca" mountain.

People of Lepaera

Over time, the original Indigenous people of Lepaera have mixed with people of Spanish descent.

Population Size: In 2001, there were 3,866 people living in Lepaera. By 2015, the estimated population had grown to 37,876 people.
Villages: There are 45 villages within the Lepaera municipality.
Settlements: There are 135 smaller settlements.

Who Lives in Lepaera?

During the 2013 Honduras census, Lepaera municipality had a population of 36,720 people. Here's a breakdown of their backgrounds:

96.15% were Mestizo (people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry).
2.72% were Indigenous (native people), with 2.42% being Lenca people.
0.78% were White.
0.32% were Black or Afro-Honduran.
0.03% were from other backgrounds.

Visiting Lepaera

The city of Lepaera is a friendly, pretty, and pleasant place to visit. Its streets are narrow and have a unique charm. The old Catholic church in the downtown area has a special inscription: JVLYO 28 1640 (July 28, 1640). This makes it one of the oldest churches in the Lempira Department.

The people of Lepaera are warm and welcoming. There is a very nice and comfortable hotel for visitors. Tourists can also buy homemade ground coffee, known as "Café de Palo", which is very fragrant and tastes great.