San Nicolás is a municipality in the department of Santa Bárbara, Honduras. It covers an area of and had a population of 14,368 inhabitants according to the 2013 national census. The municipality was officially established on 20 February 1840. It briefly served as the provisional capital of the department in 1864.
History Historical records of San Nicolás date back to 1693, when Sebastián Henríquez and José Mejía, chiefs of San Marcos de Jalapa in the Tencoa district, purchased 64.58 manzanas of land from the Spanish. The settlement was named as "La Estancia de San Nicolás del Llano de Erazo" (Ranch of San Nicolás del Llano de Erazo), and was used for agriculture and livestock rearing. The settlement flourished due to its fertile lands, and was granted a village status in the late 18th century. In 1838, it applied for a municipality status, and separation from the erstwhile municipality of Celilac. On 20 February 1840, it was officially accorded the status by president Francisco Zelaya Ayes, with Trinidad Castellón Huete, serving as the first mayor.
In 1864, during the reign of president José María Medina, San Nicolás was made as the provisional capital of the department. During the First Honduran Civil War in 1919, the municipality saw fighting between the government troops commanded by Colonel Teófilo Castillo and rebel forces led by Generals Ernesto Alvarado and José María Reina, which resulted in the victory for the rebel forces.
Geography San Nicolas is located in the department of Santa Bárbara in Honduras. It borders the municipalities of Nuevo Celilac to the north, Santa Bárbara to the east, San Vicente Centenario, Arada and La Unión to the south, and Atima to the west. It is located on the banks of the Ulua River. The municipality covers an area of and has an average elevation of above sea level.
Administrative divisions The municipality comprises 10 aldeas (villages) and their associated caseríos (hamlets).
+Aldeas (villages) of San Nicolás Aldea Population Men Women San Nicolás (municipal seat) 4,947 2,387 2,561 Cruz Grande 1,725 906 819 Choloma o Hacienda Las Minitas 1,115 563 552 El Descansadero 153 75 78 El Pinalejo 198 105 93 El Porvenir 3,991 2,059 1,932 El Resumidero 430 233 197 La Cuchilla 573 305 268 San Manuel del Triunfo 618 323 295 Santa Cruz 618 334 284 Total 14,368 7,290 7,078
Demographics As per the 2013 census, San Nicolás had a total population of 14,368 inhabitants, of whom 7,290 (50.7%) were male and 7,078 (49.3%) were female. Of the total population, 5,627 (39.2%) were classified as urban and 8,741 (60.8%) lived in the rural areas. The intercensal population growth rate between 2001 and 2013 was 2.2% annually.
Of the total population, 0.57% were classified as Indigenous, and rest as non-indigenous. The municipality has a significant migrant population from Nicaragua and Guatemala. By broad age group, 36.1% of the population were aged 0–14, 57.8% were aged 15–64, and 6.1% were aged 65 and over. The median age was 21.6 years and the mean age was 26.2 years. Among the population aged 15 and over (9,181 persons), the 2013 census recorded an illiteracy rate of 22.0%, almost similar to the departmental rate of 22.2%. The municipality had 3,413 occupied private dwellings, with an average household size of 4.1 persons.
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