Boaco

Boaco
Municipality
View of Boaco at night
Flag Seal
Boaco Location in Nicaragua
Coordinates: 12°28′N 85°40′W / 12.467°N 85.667°W / 12.467; -85.667
Country	Nicaragua
Department	Boaco Department
Area
• Total	1,086.81 km2 (419.62 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• Total	56,985
• Density	52/km2 (140/sq mi)

Boaco (Spanish pronunciation: [boˈa.ko]) is the capital city and municipality of the Boaco Department of Nicaragua. The municipality of Boaco has a population of 56,985 (2015 est.) and an area of 1,086.81 km² (26% of the Boaco Department) while the department (state) is 4,177 km2.

The city of Boaco, with a population of approximately 19,000 (2006 est.), is located in the mountains 88 km. east of Managua. Boaco is called "Ciudad de Dos Pisos" (The Two-Storey City), nicknamed by Dr. Armando Incer Barquero. The city's only two flat places are El Parque (Park) and the baseball field.

The name Boaco has its roots in the Zumo and Aztec native languages. It is composed of two words; Boa or Boaj ("Enchanters") and the suffix O ("place" or "town"). In other words, Boaco means "Place (or Town) of the Enchanters". The ancient Boaco, or Boaco Viejo (Old Boaco) was located five leagues (15 miles) east of the present-day city of Boaco. No vestiges of the former population remain. It was founded by Spanish colonists who migrated from today's Guatemala.

In 1749, the Zambo, Caribe and Mosquito Indians, encouraged by the British colonists on Nicaragua's Atlantic coast, raided Boaco Viejo. They destroyed the town. The few who survived the massacre fled west and founded the new town of Boaco (now known as Boaquito ("little Boaco") near the Malacatoya River. Between 1752 and 1772, the population of what was called Boaquito moved to higher ground, where the city of Boaco is today, mainly due to the endemic diseases and flooding that regularly occurred in the lowlands during the rainy season.

The municipality of Boaco was traditionally part of the Chontales Department. On February 4, 1910, the government of José Madriz established the department of Jerez with the city of Boaco as its capital. However, the conservative government reversed that law. It was not until July 18, 1935 that the government of Juan Bautista Sacasa created the Boaco Department, incorporating the municipalities of Boaco, Camoapa, San Lorenzo, Teustepe, San José de los Remates and Santa Lucía. Boaco was designated the capital of the department.