Olancho department
| Olancho | |
|---|---|
| Department | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: 14°36′N 86°12′W / 14.600°N 86.200°WCoordinates: 14°36′N 86°12′W / 14.600°N 86.200°W | |
| Country |
 Honduras
|
| Municipalities | 23 |
| Founded | 1825 |
| Seat | Juticalpa |
| Government | |
| • Type | Departmental |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24,057 km2 (9,288 sq mi) |
| 537306 | |
| Time zone | -6 |
| Postal code | 16101, 16201 |
Olancho is the largest of all the 18 departments into which Honduras is divided, and Hondurans frequently point out that the department is larger than the neighboring Republic of El Salvador.
The department covers a total surface area of 24,057 km² and has an estimated 2015 population of 537,306 inhabitants.
The departmental capital is Juticalpa, which is also the see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Juticalpa, which covers the department.
Rugged mountains rise in the western and northern portions of the department, notably the Sierra de Agalta, the Montaña de Tembladeros, and the Montaña de Botaderos. Vast pine and hardwood forests cover these mountains.
Central Olancho has rolling plains, watered by the Guayape River and its affluents. These plains, sometimes called pampas due to their similarity to the vast Argentinian plains, are famous for their large cattle herds and extensive farming. The main cities, capital Juticalpa and Catacamas, are located there.
The eastern part of the department is covered with rainforests, though the influx of impoverished, farmers and intense timber extraction have increased deforestation rates in the area. A portion of the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, a tropical rainforest with diverse wildlife and declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, straddles the border of Olancho and the neighboring departments of Gracias a Dios and Colón.
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Wikipedia