Municipality of Roatán
The municipality of Roatán belongs to the Department of Islas de la Bahía .
In the report of the governor of the province, Alonso de Contreras Guevara, in 1582, Roatán is mentioned as an indigenous town of the city of Trujillo, with fifteen tributaries entrusted to Miguel de Salas. It was granted municipality status in 1872, with the creation of the insular department of Islas de la Bahía. It currently serves as the departmental capital.
General Information about Roatán
Origin of its name: Roatán, in Mesoamerican language, means «place of the woman».
- Territorial area: 82.80 km2
- Population: 31,699 inhabitants (2012)
- Date of creation: 1872
- Patronal festival: On June 31, in honor of Saint Ignatius of Loyola
- Villages and hamlets: 8 villages and 26 hamlets
- Elevation: 180 meters above sea level
Main Economic Activity
Cultivation of basic grains, coffee, coconuts, bananas, citrus fruits, and vegetables; raising of cattle, horses, pigs, and poultry farming.
Infrastructure
- Health: 1 public area hospital and 1 CESAMO (Specialized Medical Care Center)
- Education: 31 basic education centers, 47 pre-basic education centers, and 18 secondary education centers
- Transportation: Air and maritime transportation, including planes, small aircraft, transatlantic ships, and schooners
- Communication network: Airport, seaport, docks, paved access roads, telephone service (Hondutel), mobile phone coverage
Location
The island is located on a platform or coral reef.
Limits
- North: Atlantic Ocean
- South: Atlantic Ocean
- East: Municipality of Jose Santos Guardiola
- West: Atlantic Ocean
