Franja Transversal del Norte

The Northern Transversal Strip extends across four departments of Guatemala: Huehuetenango, Quiché, Alta Verapaz, and Izabal, covering 15,750 square kilometers.

In 1970, General Carlos Arana Osorio officially established the Northern Transversal Strip through Decree 60-70 to promote agricultural development in northern Guatemala.

German settlers established coffee plantations in Alta Verapaz during the 1850s, operating until their departure during World War II under President Jorge Ubico.

The region contains substantial deposits of natural resources, including oil fields near Rubelsanto, mineral reserves, and forest areas with valuable timber.

The Belgian government supported a colonization project in Santo Tomás de Castilla within this region during the 1840s through the Compagnie Belge de Colonisation.

Shares border with: Petén Department

GPS coordinates: 15.98806,-90.78167

Latest update: April 8, 2025 13:33