Tegucigalpa

Capital of Honduras; situated at an altitude of 975 m/3,199 ft in the highlands of south-central Honduras, on the River Choluteca at the foot of the extinct El Pichacho volcano; population (1999 est) 968,400. Industries include textiles, chemicals, and food-processing, mostly for domestic consumption. It was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century as a gold- and silver-mining centre, and replaced Comayagua as capital in 1880.

Tocontín international airport is 6 km/4 mi to the south. The city has some fine colonial architecture including an 18th-century cathedral, and the church of Saint Francis, completed in 1592.