San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula, city, northwestern Honduras. It is situated in the Ulúa River valley, 37 miles (60 km) inland by highway and railroad from Puerto Cortés, on the Gulf of Honduras. It is the capital of the Cortés department and is the country’s primary financial and manufacturing center. Pop. (2013) 598,519.
The city, founded in 1536, has been almost completely rebuilt. It is the center of an important agricultural area that produces bananas for export and sugarcane, rice, corn (maize), sweet potatoes, cassava, and livestock for domestic consumption. It is also a commercial, financial, and distribution center for northern and western Honduras. The country’s chief industrial center, San Pedro Sula has plants that manufacture foodstuffs, animal feed, textiles, clothing, hats, beer, soap, processed lumber, paper, furniture, plastics, paints, cement, glass, metalware, electrical appliances, bicycles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and a variety of other products. Hurricane Fifi in 1974 badly damaged the agricultural hinterland and certain industries. An industrial free trade zone opened in 1976.
The city’s growth slowed somewhat in the 1990s as the economy lagged, and many areas were severely damaged by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, though in most of the industrial areas the damage was only limited.
San Pedro Sula has many notable landmarks, one being the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. Located in the city center, the cathedral features a Baroque-style architecture, giving it a centuries-old appearance despite being built in 1949. The cathedral stands next to the central park, a lively hub surrounded by colonial-era buildings. Not far from the central park is the Guamilito Market, which offers visitors a rich cultural experience. The market features authetic Central American handicrafts, with vendor stalls filled with colorful textiles, intricate wood carvings, jewelry, and handmade pottery. In addition to its artisan goods, the market is also known as a culinary hotspot, with a variety of food vendors and stalls serving regional Honduran dishes. A transportation center, the city is a hub for highways and railroads and has an international airport.