Cobán

The city of Cobán is the capital of the department of Alta Verapaz in Guatemala. It also serves as the administrative center for the surrounding Cobán municipality. In 2000 the city's estimated population was 70,000. The population of the municipality, which covers a total terrain of 1312 km², was 94,000 people. Cobán, at a height of 1316 m above sea level, is at the center of a major coffee-growing area. The city was founded by Dominican friars in 1543. The city was developed by German coffee growers in the 19th century and was operated as a largely independent dominion until WWII. The coffee growers supported Hitler during the war and were expelled by the Guatemala government under pressure from the United States. A small resident German population persists, mostly volunteers at various NGOs there to avoid serving in the German military. Cobán has been historically relatively wealthy by Guatemalan standards and independent of the federal government though most of the wealthy finca (coffee plantation) owners have relocated to the capital with the advent of paved roads and modern transportation. Similarly this has allowed the federal government to increase its influence. Each year at the end of July, a festival of Guatemala's native peoples is held here, La Fiesta Nacional Indígena de Guatemala(Festival Folklórico). The festivities include a beauty contest for Guatemala's Native American women, the winner of which is crowned with the title "Rabin Ahau", which means "the Daughter of the King" in Q'eqchi'. The dominant ethnicity here is Q'eqchi mayan and the language of Q'eqchi is widely spoken in town, especially in an around the markets where farmers from the surrounding hills sell their products. Cobán is surrounded by mountains laden with orchids, the rare Monja Blanca orchid is the departamental symbol. Many regulations protect the orchids but much like the trade in illegally harvested timber, the market is full of illicit orchids. These mountains also contain several of Guatemala's national parks, most notably Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera (Biotopo Del Quetzal) and abundant caves and waterfalls as a result many travelers visit Cobán to arrange eco-tourism adventures. Popular tourist spots in the city of Cobán include the El Calvario Church, the Dusseldorf coffee plantation, the Principe Maya archaeological museum, and Coban's central plaza. The departmental fair is held in Cobán and begins on the last Sunday in July and continues for a week. The annual religious festival (fiesta titular) is on August 4 and dedicated to Santo Domingo de Guzman. Area Code: