San Pedro Sula

Main industrial and commercial city in northwest Honduras, near the Guatemalan border, capital of Cortés department and the second-largest city in the country; population (1999 est) 452,100. Situated in the fertile valley of the Ulúa River, and 45 km/28 mi south of the port of Puerto Cortés, it is a trading centre and key distribution point for the north and northwest regions, which produce bananas, coffee, sugar, and timber; industries include steel, textiles, plastics, furniture, and cement. One of Central America's fastest growing cities, it was founded in 1536 by the Spaniard Pedro de Alvarado.