Jalapa is a municipality and the seat of the Jalapa Department in Guatemala. The municipality covers an area of , making it the largest municipality by area in the Jalapa department. As per 2023 estimate, the municipality of Jalapa had a population of 195,321 inhabitants.
Etymology
"Jalapa" is derived from the Nahuatl words "xal" and "apan" roughly translating to "place in sandy water". The settlement was earlier known as Santa María Xalapán and Santa María Jalapa. As of 1850, the population of Jalapa was approximately 3,500. The Jalapa Department was established on 24 November 1873. On 26 August 1878, Jalapa was elevated to the category of a city. It is located in the highlands of southeastern Guatemala at an elevation of . The municipality covers an area of , making it the largest municipality by area in the Jalapa department.