Isabal ( Spanish: Izabal ) is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala . Its coastal areas are home to the Garifuna people.
| the department | |||||
| Isabal | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish Izabal | |||||
| |||||
| A country | Guatemala | ||||
| Includes | 5 municipalities | ||||
| Adm. Centre | Puerto barrios | ||||
| History and Geography | |||||
| Square | 9038 km² (2nd place ) | ||||
| Timezone | UTC − 6 | ||||
| Population | |||||
| Population | 314,306 [1] people ( 2002 ) ( 13th place ) | ||||
| Density | 34.78 people / km² (21st place) | ||||
| Digital identifiers | |||||
| ISO 3166-2 Code | GT-IZ | ||||
| FIPS Index | GT09 | ||||
| Postal codes | |||||
| Official site | |||||
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Isabal bordered in the north by Belize , in the east with Honduras , with the Guatemalan departments of Peten in the northwest, Alta Verapas in the west and Zacapa in the south. To the north-east of Isabal is the Gulf of Honduras . The administrative center is the city of Puerto Barrios .
Geography
On the territory of the department is Isabal Lake - the largest lake in Guatemala. The Spanish colonial fort of San Felipe, currently the national monument of Guatemala, is located at the place where the Dulce River flows from this lake.
History
The small town of Isabal is located on the southern shore of the lake. Prior to the construction of the ports of Livingston and Puerto Barrios in the 19th century, Isabal was the main Guatemalan port in the Caribbean and the center of the department, however, at present, Isabal is a provincial village where ships practically do not moor.
The department also houses the ruins of the Mayan civilization of Quirigua , a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
Municipalities
Administratively, the department is divided into 5 municipalities:
- El estor
- Livingston
- Los Amates
- Morales
- Puerto barrios