Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa (UKtɛˌɡuːsᵻˈɡælpə UStəˌ- teɣusiˈɣalpa)—formally Tegucigalpa, Municipality of the Central District (Tegucigalpa, Municipio del Distrito Central or Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.), and colloquially referred to as Tegus or Teguz—is the capital and largest city of Honduras along with its sister city, Comayagüela. Claimed on 29 September 1578 by the Spaniards, Tegucigalpa became the Honduran capital on 30 October 1880, under President Marco Aurelio Soto, when he moved the seat of government from Comayagua, which had been the Honduran capital since its independence in 1841. The 1936 constitution established Tegucigalpa and Comayagua as a Central District, and the current 1982 Honduran Constitution continues to define the sister cities as a Central District that serves as the permanent national capital. Tegucigalpa is located in the southern-central highland region known as the department of Francisco Morazán of which it is also the departmental capital. It is situated in a valley, surrounded by mountains. Tegucigalpa and Comayagua, being sister cities, are physically separated by the Choluteca River. The Central District is the largest of the 28 municipalities in the Francisco Morazán department. Tegucigalpa is Honduras' largest and most populous city as well as the nation's political and administrative center. Tegucigalpa is host to 25 foreign embassies and 16 consulates. It is the home base of several state-owned entities such as ENEE and Hondutel, the national energy and telecommunications companies, respectively. The city is also home to the country's most important public university, the National Autonomous University of Honduras, as well as the national soccer team. The city is served by two international airports, Comayagua and Toncontín. The Central District Mayor's Office (Alcaldia Municipal del Distrito Central) is the city's governing body, headed by a mayor and 10 aldermen forming the Municipal Corporation (Corporación Municipal). Being the department's seat as well, the governor's office of Francisco Morazán is also located in the capital.