Somoto, Madriz

Somoto
Municipality
The Parroquia Santiago in central Somoto.
Flag Seal
Somoto Location in Nicaragua
Coordinates: 13°28′N 86°34′W / 13.467°N 86.567°W / 13.467; -86.567
Country	Nicaragua
Department	Madriz
Area
• Municipality	180 sq mi (466 km2)
Population  (2022 estimate)[1]
• Municipality	40,322
• Density	220/sq mi (87/km2)
• Urban	21,211
Climate	Aw

Somoto (Spanish pronunciation: [soˈmoto]) is a city and a municipality located in the hills of northern Nicaragua, and capital of the department of Madriz. It is around 20 km (12 miles) south-west of Ocotal and 51 km (32 miles) north-west of Estelí. It sits on the Pan-American Highway around 16 km (10 miles) from the Honduran border crossing at El Espino.

Founded in pre-Columbian times by Olmec and Aztec immigrants from modern Mexico, Somoto is the economic and cultural heart of Madriz. It has also become a growing tourist centre since the discovery of Somoto Canyon, located 13 km (8 miles) west of the city. Somoto Municipality has a total population of 40,322, with 21,211 people living in the urban area and 19,111 in 48 nearby communities.^[2]

It is known as La Flor de Henequén (the Flower of Henequen) as a result of the cultivation of this crop in the city's environs. It is also renowned for its production of rosquillas somoteñas, crispy corn biscuits with a variety of flavours.^[3]