Gracias a Dios Department

Gracias a Dios
Department
Country	Honduras
Municipalities	6
Founded	1957
Seat	Puerto Lempira
Government
• Type	Departmental
Area
• Total	16,997 km2 (6,563 sq mi)
Population (2015)[1]
• Total	94,450
• Density	5.6/km2 (14/sq mi)
Time zone	-6
Postal code	33101

Gracias a Dios (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈɡɾasjas a ðjos], Thank God) is one of the 18 departments (departamentos) into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. The departmental capital is Puerto Lempira; until 1975 it was Brus Laguna. Once a part of the Mosquito Coast, it was formed in 1957 from all of Mosquitia territory and parts of Colón and Olancho departments, with the boundary running along 85° W from Cape Camarón south. The department is rather remote and inaccessible by land, though local airlines fly to the main cities.

Gracias a Dios department covers a total surface area of 16,997 km² and, in 2105, had an estimated population of 94,450. Though it is the second largest department in the country, it is sparsely populated, and contains extensive pine savannas, swamps, and rainforests. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier is a perennial threat to the natural bounty of the department.

Geography

It contains the Caratasca Lagoon, the largest lagoon in Honduras.

Municipalities

1. Ahuas
2. Brus Laguna
3. Juan Francisco Bulnes
4. Puerto Lempira
5. Ramón Villeda Morales
6. Wampusirpi

Departments of Honduras Atlántida Bay Islands Choluteca Colón Comayagua Copán Cortés El Paraíso Francisco Morazán Gracias a Dios Intibucá La Paz Lempira Ocotepeque Olancho Santa Bárbara Valle Yoro

Coordinates: 15°16′N 83°46′W / 15.267°N 83.767°W / 15.267; -83.767

References