Municipality of La Lima
La Lima is a municipality in the Cortés department in Honduras.
It has its origins in 1871. In the national census of Honduras in 1895, La Lima was listed as a village of San Pedro Sula, and due to the banana business, it quickly became a productive and commercial center, as well as an important union hub for Honduran society in the early decades of the 20th century.
La Lima was the site of the major strike of agricultural workers in 1954, which led to the promulgation of the Labor Code in Honduras. It was granted municipality status on November 13, 1981, during the military tripartite administration led by Policarpo Paz García.
Origin of its name: due to the abundance of lime trees and also its patron saint’s second name.
General Information about La Lima
- Date of establishment: November 13, 1981
- Territorial area: 115.60 km2
- Elevation: 28 meters above sea level
- Patron Saint Festival: February 11, day of the Virgin of Lourdes
- Administrative Code (Geocode): 0512
- Aldeas (Villages): 4
- Caseríos (Hamlets): 39
History
La Lima was founded in 1871, with its first settlers being Francisco Aguiluz, Jerónimo Escobar, Apolonio Bonilla, Raimundo Contreras, Miguel Herrera, and Salomé Cruz. There used to be a village named «Mata de Guineo» on the banks of the Chamelecón River, engaged in agriculture and the corozo business.
Later, they settled in the territorial section called Lima Nueva (now Lima Sur) and dedicated themselves to sugar cane cultivation, establishing a mill (whose main building now serves as warehouses and offices for the Tela Railroad Company). However, when the United Fruit Company subsidiary Develop Company arrived, the site was relocated to where Lima Vieja is located today (now Lima Norte). Crossing the river was done by canoes until 1936 when an iron and wood «Bailey» bridge was installed (now a pedestrian bridge).
As La Lima became the headquarters of the Tela Rail Road Company, a subsidiary of the United Fruit Company and the capital of the banana enclave on the North Coast of Honduras, it grew as a technologically advanced city at the beginning of the century. It is worth noting that while San Pedro Sula was still a village in terms of infrastructure, La Lima had asphalted streets, a railroad network, water and sanitation systems, its own telephone network, electricity, a traffic light (the first in the country), private schools for employees and executives, and sports and social centers (such as the American Zone Club and Sula Club), which were considered the best in the country by families and prominent figures of the time.
In 1912, it was incorporated as a village belonging to the Municipality of San Manuel. As Lima Nueva (now Lima Sur) housed the offices and residences of company executives, Lima Vieja (now Lima Norte) gradually grew due to various merchants coming from San Pedro Sula and the capital.
It was annexed to the Municipality of San Pedro Sula on May 29, 1923, by an issued agreement. It was granted the status of a Villa by decree No. 75 of the National Congress of the Republic on February 12, 1954, with President Juan Manuel Gálvez, still belonging to the Municipality of San Pedro Sula.
The most important moment for the Villa is that in October of 1954, a group of workers from the Banana Transnational decided to go on strike, and likewise, workers throughout the country went on strike demanding better labor and social conditions from their employers. This led to the integration of Honduran unionism by forming the country’s first union, SITRATERCO, which became a guarantor and defender of fair treatment between employers and employees. It also led to the creation of the Labor Code as a legal guarantee of the rights and obligations of employers and workers. From that moment on, La Lima emerged as the capital of Honduran unionism.
Originally founded as a village in the Municipality of San Manuel in 1871, it was later annexed to the Municipality of San Pedro Sula on May 29, 1923. On February 12, 1954, it obtained the status of a Villa, and finally, on November 13, 1981, it was established as the Municipality of La Lima.
Location
La Lima is located in the center of the Sula Valley, surrounded by the Chamelecón and Ulúa rivers, approximately 15.00 kilometers southeast of the city of San Pedro Sula.
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Boundaries
- North: Choloma municipality;
- South: San Manuel municipality;
- East: El Progreso municipality (Yoro);
- West: San Pedro Sula municipality.
Topography
La Lima is located in the Sula Valley, which is a prominent graben oriented from north to south and located in the north-central part of the country. The Merendón Mountain Range borders the graben on its western side.
The valley is surrounded by normal faults at a wide angle to the east and west, which are represented by an abrupt change in the topography from the wide plain of the valley to an elevation of 30 meters (100 feet) above sea level to the high hills with steep slopes, reaching over 456 meters (1,500 feet) in elevation.
The Chamelecón Fault, which trends northeast, represents the northern boundary of La Lima.
The territory of La Lima is practically flat, with slopes of less than 2%, developing between elevations of 40 and 20 meters above sea level from southwest to northeast.
Hydrography
Chamelecón River
Its source is located in the western part of the country. It crosses the municipality, especially the eastern part, passing through the Municipality of San Pedro Sula, and then becomes a territorial boundary on the north-northwest side of the municipality with San Pedro Sula and Choloma. It is the main cause of the floods that affect the area.
Ulúa River
It forms the boundary with the municipality of El Progreso and the Department of Cortes, from Colonia San José to Campo Lupo Nuevo. It is a navigable river all year round, and water is extracted from it for the irrigation of banana crops in the riverside areas.
- Humuya River, Sulaco River, Jaitique River, Tepemechín River, Maragua River, Quirima River
Chotepe Creek
It originates in the municipality of San Pedro Sula, crosses the municipality through Sector No. 1, passing through the northern part of the «Ramón Villeda Morales» International Airport, and flows into the Chamelecón River in the Copen Aldea sector. It collects wastewater from the city of San Pedro Sula and its surroundings.
Chasnigua Creek
It originates in the municipality of Villanueva in the Búfalo sector, bordering the municipality in that area and the municipality of San Manuel up to the Flores de Oriente sector, then heading north through the El Paraíso Aldea sector, and finally flowing into the Chamelecón River in the Copen sector. It serves as the drainage for wastewater from the Búfalo sector and the sugar mill located in the same sector.
Topography
Cerro Palenque
Population
It has a total population of 71,910 inhabitants, of which 34,208 are men and 37,701 are women. 64,684 live in urban areas and 7,225 live in rural areas. It ranks 6th in the department, representing 4.6% of the population, and 19th in the country, representing 0.9% of the total population. 1.9% of the population belongs to an ethnic group. In the last 10 years, 1,184 people have emigrated and are living in another country.
In this municipality, there are 44,639 people aged 18 and older, of which 94% have their identification card. The municipality has a literacy rate of 6.6% and primary education coverage of 96%, with an average of 7.3 years of schooling. Women heads of households represent 32% of households. The masculinity index is 91 men for every hundred women, and the elderly population (65+ years) represents 6.0% of the population.
Economy
- 26% Manufacturing industries
- 19% Wholesale and retail trade, vehicle repair
- 12% Agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing
- 7.5% Transportation and storage
- 6.7% Construction
- 28% Other activities
Agriculture
Sugar cane, Banana, Citrus fruits, Basic grains, Plantain, Cocoa, Tobacco, Vegetables
Banana cultivation and export: Managed by the transnational company «Tela Rail Road Company» and independent banana growers (COBALISA and others) who export bananas to the US and international markets.
African Palm cultivation: These crops are managed by contractors affiliated with the «Tela Rail Road Company.» The future product will be processed in processing plants located in the San Alejo sector, Municipality of Tela, Atlántida.
Sugar cane cultivation: Mainly managed by AZUNSOSA and associated producers in cooperatives and individuals.
Livestock
Chickens, Chickens, Cattle, Pigs, Ducks, Turkeys
Cattle farming: Operated by the consortium «Continental S.A.» for the breeding of Brahman cattle for meat, which is then processed in their own plant outside the municipality. On a smaller scale, there are dairy farmers who sell milk to milk processors and for personal and community consumption.
Industry
Maquila Industry: There is an industrial park owned by «Continental S.A.» consisting of 6 textile maquiladora facilities, including Korean, Taiwanese, and American companies, which provide employment not only to the municipal area but also to the surrounding villages.
Refined Wood Industry: Managed by «Maderas Procesadas ‘MAPROSA’,» whose wood is extracted from sawmills adjacent to the Sula Valley and then shipped to foreign markets.
Tourism
La Casa de La Cultura
It is another cultural heritage of the municipality that all residents of La Lima should be proud of, as its structure is one of the best among other houses of culture. It was built with municipal funds, as well as contributions from the Ministry of Culture, the Honduran Social Investment Fund (FHIS), and the general public.
In front of the offices of the Union of Workers of Tela Rail Road Company (SITRATERCO), a steam locomotive was installed as a symbol of the municipality’s banana enclave and therefore of the country. The locomotive dates back to 1945 and was built in Philadelphia, United States, by «The Baldwin Locomotive Works» company.
Parks
- Central Park «José Cecilio del Valle»: Located in the city center.
- Children’s Park «Damas de la Sociedad Limeña»: Adjacent to Gabriela Mistral School.
- Children’s Park «Los Pinos»: in the neighborhood of the same name.
- Sitraterco Park: in the green area of the neighborhood. It has two multipurpose courts, a social center, drinking water wells, and recreational areas. The Casa de la Cultura is located in this area.
- Children’s Park «El Maestro»: Located in the sector of the same name.
- Children’s Park «La Paz»: located in the center of the neighborhood.
