Azacualpa, Honduras

Azacualpa was earlier part of the municipality of Macuelizo. On 15 August 1958, a request for declaration of it as a municipality was submitted. It was officially declared so by Resolution No. 33 on 16 May 1960 during the reign of president Ramón Villeda Morales. The first council took office on 22 May 1960.^[1][2]

There are several theories as to the meaning of the name "Azacualpa". It might mean "in the pyramid" as per Mexican usage. In Etimología de Honduras, it is stated that it is probably derived from Nahuatl language meaning "abandoned or uninhabited village".^[1][2]

Azacualpa is located in the northern part of the department of Santa Bárbara in Honduras.^[1][2][3] It borders the municipalities of Macuelizo to the south, Nuevo Celilac and Quimistan to the east, and La Unión, and Nueva Frontera to the west. It also shares a land border with Guatemala.^[1][2] The municipality covers an area of 222.3 km² (85.8 sq mi) and an average altitude of 246 m (807 ft).^[1]

The municipality comprises ten aldeas (villages) and their associated caseríos (hamlets).^[4]: 20

At per the 2013 census, Azacualpa had a total population of 20,210 inhabitants, of whom 10,036 (49.7%) were male and 10,174 (50.3%) were female. Of the total population, 12,561 (62.2%) lived in the urban area and 7,649 (37.8%) in the rural areas.^{[5][4]: 19, 20}

About 0.59% of the population were classified as Indigenous and rest as non-indigneous.^[5] By broad age group, 35.6% of the population were aged 0–14, 58.5% were aged 15–64, and 5.9% were aged 65 and over. The median age was 20.9 years and the mean age was 25.9 years. Among the population aged 15 and over, the 2013 census recorded an illiteracy rate of 19.7%, lower than the departmental average of 22.2%.^[4]: 19