Somoto | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
 The Parroquia Santiago in central Somoto. | |
 Flag  Seal | |
  Somoto Location in Nicaragua | |
| Coordinates: 13°28′N 86°34′W / 13.467°N 86.567°W | |
| Country |  Nicaragua |
| Department | Madriz |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 180 sq mi (466 km2) |
| Population (2022 estimate)[1] | |
• Municipality | 40,322 |
| • Density | 220/sq mi (87/km2) |
| • Urban | 21,211 |
| Climate | Aw |
Somoto (Spanish pronunciation: [soˈmoto]) is a city and a municipality located in the hills of northern Nicaragua, and capital of the department of Madriz. It is around 20 km (12 miles) south-west of Ocotal and 51 km (32 miles) north-west of Estelí. It sits on the Pan-American Highway around 16 km (10 miles) from the Honduran border crossing at El Espino.
Founded in pre-Columbian times by Olmec and Aztec immigrants from modern Mexico, Somoto is the economic and cultural heart of Madriz. It has also become a growing tourist centre since the discovery of Somoto Canyon, located 13 km (8 miles) west of the city. Somoto Municipality has a total population of 40,322, with 21,211 people living in the urban area and 19,111 in 48 nearby communities.[2]
It is known as La Flor de Henequén (the Flower of Henequen) as a result of the cultivation of this crop in the city's environs. It is also renowned for its production of rosquillas somoteñas, crispy corn biscuits with a variety of flavours.[3]
- ^ Citypopulation.de Population of Somoto municipality
- ^ City of Merced,Merced-Somoto History Archived 2012-08-01 at archive.today
- ^ Via Nica, History of Somoto Rosquillas