Ocotepeque

Ocotepeque is a municipality in the Honduran department of Ocotepeque. The town of Nueva Ocotepeque is the municipal seat and the capital of the department. Ocotepeque means: Pine Mountain.

The department borders two countries, Guatemala and El Salvador and covers 1,630 km2. It is mostly mountainous, and has a population of 111,474 (2006). Its main economic activities are agricultural, including coffee, corn, cabbage, sugar cane, and onions. Due to its favourable location just a few kilometres away from the border with El Salvador at El Poy, as well as the border with Guatemala at Agua Caliente, Ocotepeque has the economic benefit of being a tri-country centre of business. It also attracts residents of smaller neighbouring towns, who come to Ocotepeque to purchase things or to study.