San Miguel, El Salvador facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Miguel
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City
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From top, left to right: Municipal Hall of San Miguel, Cathedral Basilica of Queen of Peace, National Theater Francisco Gavidia
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 San Miguel
Location in El Salvador
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| Country |  El Salvador |
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| Department | San Miguel Department | ||
| Founded | 1530 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 593.98 km2 (229.34 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 129 m (423 ft) | ||
| Population
(2017)
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| • Total | 265,921 | ||
| • Density | 447.694/km2 (1,159.521/sq mi) | ||
| SV-SM |
CP 3301
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| Website | Official website: http://www.sanmiguel.gob.sv | ||
San Miguel is a city in eastern El Salvador. It is the third largest city in the country. San Miguel is about 138 kilometers (86 miles) east of San Salvador, the capital city. It is also the main city of the San Miguel Department. In 2017, about 518,410 people lived in the city.
Contents
History of San Miguel
Luis de Moscoso Alvarado started the village of San Miguel de la Frontera on May 8, 1530. It was built as a stronghold to help take over the Lenca kingdom of Chaparrastique. Chaparrastique means "Place of Beautiful Orchids." By 1586, the village had grown and was officially called a city.
In 1655, a volcano erupted and almost destroyed the whole city. People say that only a statue of Mary in the church was saved from the destruction.
Economy and Jobs in San Miguel
San Miguel has always been important for farming, clothing, and chemical industries in El Salvador. Since the early 2000s, services like healthcare and shopping have grown a lot. Many new hospitals and malls have been built.
This growth is partly because Salvadorans living in other countries send money home. This money helps families in eastern El Salvador. New jobs and businesses are also expected from the Puerto La Unión port, which opened in 2012.
Education in San Miguel
San Miguel has many schools and universities. These include both public and private schools. Some of the oldest schools in El Salvador are here.
The main universities are the public University of El Salvador (with its eastern campus) and the private Universidad de Oriente (UNIVO). Other universities include the University Gerardo Barrios and the University Modular Abierta.
Sports in San Miguel
Sports facilities in San Miguel have improved a lot recently. The main sports places are the "Juan Francisco Barraza" football stadium, the "Polideportivo Don Bosco," and the Charlaix Stadium.
Culture and Fun in San Miguel
Every November, San Miguel celebrates its city festivals. These honor "Nuestra Señora De La Paz" (Our Lady of Peace). The biggest event is the San Miguel Carnival, held on the last Saturday of November.
About 1,000,000 people attended the 50th anniversary of the carnival. It is the largest festival for fun, music, and food in El Salvador. It is also one of the biggest in Central America. The carnival started in 1959. It continues to show how the city is growing and helps its economy.
San Miguel is known for its lively night life along Roosevelt Avenue. This main road divides the city into two parts. One part has historical places like the Cathedral of "Nuestra Señora de la Paz" (built 1862), Guzman Park, the Francisco Gavidia Theater (built 1909), and the Palacio Municipal (built 1935). The other part is modern San Miguel, with new neighborhoods called "colonias."
Many famous people were born in San Miguel. These include Captain General Gerado Barrios, writer Francisco Gavidia, poet Juan J. Cañas, and David Joaquín Guzmán. The city is next to the Volcan Chaparrastique, a volcano that is 2,129 meters (6,985 feet) tall. It is a famous symbol of San Miguel.
San Miguel is a sister city to Arlington, Virginia in the United States.
Geography and Climate
The city is about 138 kilometers (86 miles) east of the capital, San Salvador. The San Miguel Volcano, also known as Volcán Chaparrastique, is a cone-shaped volcano. It is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the city. The volcano last erupted on November 16, 2022.
San Miguel's Weather
| Climate data for San Miguel, El Salvador (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 36.9 (98.4) |
38.2 (100.8) |
38.8 (101.8) |
38.5 (101.3) |
36.4 (97.5) |
34.5 (94.1) |
35.6 (96.1) |
35.3 (95.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
33.2 (91.8) |
34.2 (93.6) |
35.8 (96.4) |
35.9 (96.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.8 (80.2) |
27.9 (82.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.6 (83.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.4 (79.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.2 (66.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.2 (73.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
19.6 (67.3) |
21.8 (71.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.8 (0.03) |
0.3 (0.01) |
5.2 (0.20) |
29.5 (1.16) |
210.1 (8.27) |
222.9 (8.78) |
175.2 (6.90) |
246.1 (9.69) |
304.5 (11.99) |
260.7 (10.26) |
60.2 (2.37) |
5.3 (0.21) |
1,520.9 (59.88) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 61 | 59 | 59 | 64 | 74 | 80 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 84 | 76 | 67 | 71.9 |
| Source: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales | |||||||||||||
Transportation in San Miguel
El Platanar Airport is in the city of El Platanar, about ten miles from San Miguel. San Miguel also has its own airstrip that can handle commercial flights.
Gallery
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A street of San Miguel
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The El Calvario Catholic church in San Miguel
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San Francisco Hospital in San Miguel
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The Third Infantry Brigade's headquarters in San Miguel
See also
In Spanish: San Miguel (El Salvador) para niños
