Municipality of Marale
It is a municipality in the department of Francisco Morazán, in the Republic of Honduras.
Due to its proximity to the Guarabuquí River, this town is mentioned in the report of Governor Alonso de Contreras Guevara in 1582 with the name Goaraboquí as an indigenous town. In 1820, it is listed as a village of Cedros.
In 1824, under the leadership of Dionisio de Herrera as head of state and Francisco Morazán as private secretary general, it was given the category of municipality.
General Information of Marale
Origin of its name: It was previously called San Juan del Norte, but it was the priest Manuel de Jesús Subirana who named it Marale, after the Maralito River that crosses the municipality. In the Mesoamerican language, it means «water of the prisoners of war.»
- Territorial area: 476.01 km2
- Population: 6,820 inhabitants (2012)
- Date of creation: August 1824
- Feria patronal: January 20, in honor of the Black Christ of Marale.
- Villages and hamlets: 11 villages and 144 hamlets.
- Elevation: 710 meters above sea level.
Principal Economic Activity
Cultivation of basic grains, coffee, and vegetables; raising of cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs; poultry farming.
Infrastructure
- Health: 1 CESAMO and 2 CESAR.
- Education: 39 centers of basic education and 10 centers of pre-basic education.
Location
It is surrounded by the El Portillo, Loma de la Cruz, and Loma del Lodo hills.
Limits
- North: Municipality of Yoro (Yoro);
- South: Municipalities of El Porvenir and San Ignacio;
- East: Municipality of Orica;
- West: Municipalities of San José del Potrero (Comayagua), Sulaco, and Yorito (both in Yoro).
