Macuelizo is a municipality in the department of Santa Bárbara, Honduras. It covers an area of and had a population of 34,401 inhabitants according to the 2013 national census. The municipality is situated in the fertile Quimistán Valley and is watered by the Culupa and Chamelecón Rivers. The Pan American Highway crosses the municipality. It has significant natural resources and mineral deposits, including gold and antimony.
History
Records indicate that the first land titles in the present day municipality of Macuelizo were granted in 1779. The first reference to the municipality itself is from 1792, when proceedings were initiated for the establishment of a new settlement in the Valley of Macuelizo under the jurisdiction of San Pedro Sula. It was formally founded on 28 July 1794 under the name "Maculosus" and it originally belonged to the jurisdiction of Quimistán. The municipality was officially created on 29 July 1894 under the name "Valle de Maculoso", which simply became Maculoso later. The name is derived from the maceulizo (Tabebuia rosea) trees found in the region. In the late eighteenth century, the layout of the central square and streets were created, and the first municipal authorities were appointed.
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|+Aldeas (villages) of Macuelizo