# Gracias

> city in Honduras

**Wikidata**: [Q2561339](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2561339)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracias)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gracias

## Summary
Gracias is a city and municipality in Honduras that serves as the capital of the Lempira Department. Founded in 1536, it sits at an elevation of 800 metres and had a recorded population of 47,622 according to the 2013 census. The city holds historical significance as a former headquarters for the Real Audiencia de Guatemala and currently functions as the seat for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gracias.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** A city and municipality of Honduras (a large human settlement and sovereign state in Central America). 
- **Founding:** Inception date is 1536.
- **Population:** 47,622 residents (recorded in 2013 via census).
- **Area:** Covers a total area of 449.1 square kilometres.
- **Elevation:** Positioned 800 metres above sea level.
- **Coordinates:** Latitude 14.588880555555555, Longitude -88.58054722222222.
- **Timezone:** UTC−06:00.
- **Administrative Role:** Serves as the capital of the Lempira Department, which was inceptioned on June 28, 1825.
- **UN/LOCODE:** HNGAC.

## FAQs
**Where is Gracias located?**
It is located in the Lempira Department of Honduras, which is a sovereign state in Central America. The city's exact coordinates are latitude 14.588880555555555 and longitude -88.58054722222222.

**What is the demographic and physical size of the city?**
According to the 2013 census, the municipality has a population of 47,622 people. It spans a total area of 449.1 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 800 metres above sea level.

**What is the historical significance of Gracias?**
Founded in 1536, the city historically served as a headquarters for the Real Audiencia de Guatemala, an imperial Spanish court that saw periods of inception in 1542 and 1568. The broader country of Honduras gained its inception in 1821.

**What is the religious and administrative status of the city?**
It functions as the capital city of the Lempira Department. Additionally, it is the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gracias, which was officially inceptioned on April 27, 2021.

## Why It Matters
Gracias holds substantial historical and administrative importance within Honduras. As a city established in the early 16th century (1536), it represents one of the earliest colonial settlements in the region. Its significance is underscored by its historical role as a headquarters for the Real Audiencia de Guatemala, acting as a major judicial and administrative hub for the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Today, it remains a vital regional center, functioning as the capital of the Lempira Department and serving as the foundational headquarters for the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Gracias. Its high elevation (800 metres) also makes it a distinct geographic landmark in the Honduran landscape.

## Notable For
- Serving as the administrative capital of the Lempira Department.
- Historical role as a headquarters for the Real Audiencia de Guatemala during the Spanish colonial period.
- Deep colonial roots dating back to its official inception in 1536.
- Acting as the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gracias, which was inceptioned in 2021.
- A prominent elevation of 800 metres above sea level.

## Body

### Geographic Profile and Demographics
Gracias is categorized as a municipality and city, defined by its coordinates at 14.588880555555555 latitude and -88.58054722222222 longitude. It operates within the UTC−06:00 timezone. The municipality covers a territorial expanse of 449.1 square kilometres and rests at an elevation of 800 metres above sea level. According to census data gathered in 2013, the city hosts a population of 47,622 inhabitants. It is distinct from other entities sharing the name "Gracias" and is sometimes aliased as "Gracias, Lempira."

### Historical and Administrative Context
The city's inception dates back to 1536, placing it firmly in the colonial era of Central America. It is situated within Honduras, a sovereign state that gained its inception in 1821. The city is specifically located within and serves as the capital of the Lempira Department, an administrative region established on June 28, 1825. 

Historically, Gracias held major regional importance as a headquarters for the Real Audiencia de Guatemala, a Spanish imperial court in the Americas that underwent inceptions on November 20, 1542, and January 15, 1568. The city's enduring relevance is also reflected in its religious administration; it is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gracias, a Catholic diocese in Honduras that was inceptioned on April 27, 2021.

### Visual Representation and Media
The visual identity and representation of the city are captured through several documented images and symbols:
- **Image:** Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 01.jpg
- **Page Banner:** Sunrise from Cerro Las Minas.jpg
- **Flag Image:** Bandera de Gracias Lempira.svg
- **Coat of Arms Image:** Escudo de Gracias, Lempira.svg
- **Commons Category:** Gracias, Lempira

### Global Identifiers and Knowledge Networks
Gracias is extensively cataloged across global databases, knowledge bases, and mapping networks. Its Wikipedia presence spans 31 sitelinks across numerous languages (including English, Spanish, German, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and many others) and is filed under the title "Gracias".

The city's global and digital identifiers include:
- **Bibliographic & Authority IDs:** VIAF ID (126875584), Library of Congress Authority ID (n2004147630), Bibliothèque nationale de France ID (169399731), National Library of Israel J9U ID (987007478052705171), WorldCat Entities ID (E39PBJgt4XX9KPDyyMJWrJcByd), and Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Gracias-Honduras).
- **Geographic & Mapping IDs:** GeoNames ID (3609587), OpenStreetMap Node ID (13235480977), OpenStreetMap Relation ID (11722036), Who's On First ID (1141906011), and iNaturalist Place ID (31524).
- **Database & Knowledge IDs:** Wikidata description ("city in Honduras"), Freebase ID (/m/04y6d_), Yahoo! WOEID (101942), SNARC ID (1463), UN/LOCODE (HNGAC), and Yale Lux ID (place/736554de-67a4-456f-8b2e-ed10fe906bb6).

## References

1. [The Capital Cities of Honduras](https://hondurastravel.com/blog/capital-cities-honduras/)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. 2013 Honduran census
4. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
5. GeoNames
6. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/hn.htm)
7. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
8. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File