At present the Department of La Paz is divided into three districts, which comprehend one city, four large towns, and about fifteen smaller ones, as shown by the following table:
District of Zacatecoluca: Santiago Nonualco, San Pedro Nonualco, San Juan Nonualco, Santa María Ostuma, San Rafael, La Ceiba, Jerusalén.
District of San Pedro Mazahuat: San Pedro Mazahuat, El Rosario, San Miguel Tepezontes, San Juan Tepezontes, Paraíso de Osorio, San Emigdio.
District of Olocuilta: Talpa, Cuyultitán, San Luis, Tapalhuaca, San Francisco Chinameca.
In the lowlands or near the coast there are a number of old estates of unquestionable merit, and which in former times were famous for the indigo which they produced. To-day the principal agricultural industry of Zacatecoluca is coffee-growing, and the inhabitants possess upon the Volcán some magnificent plantations, the principal being the following, with the number of hundredweights of produce that they yield annually:
Those of Señor J. Rengifo Núñez, 3,500 cwts.; Señor José Molina, 2,000; Señora Doña Amalia Molina, 2,000; Señora Doña Teresa O. de Alfaro, 1,000; Dr. Don Fernando Gómez, 1,500; Don Mariano A. Molina, 1,000; Don Fernando Gómez, 1,500; Dr. Peña Fernández, 1,500; Don Pedro Rodríguez, 800; Doña Josefa Buiza, 600; Don Atanasio Pineda, 500; the Señorita Dolores Rodríguez, 500; Doña Teresa de Rodríguez, 500; Don Atanasio Pineda, 500; Don Atanasio Pineda (h), 500; the Lopez family, 500; Dr. Don Pío Romero Bosque, 500; Doña Josefa Molina, 600; Doña Mercedes Rubio, 400; Don Francisco Orantes, 300; Don Lisandro Torres, 300; the issue of Don Samuel Jiménez, 300; Doña Mercedes Rodríguez, 300; Don Octavio Miranda, 200; Don Catarino Ortiz, 200; Doña Elodia Jandres, 200; Don Justo Quintanilla, 200; General Don José María Estupinián, 300.
The town of Santiago Nonualco, which has the title of "Villa," a name usually given to a large and important town, is also an ancient one. It is situated on high land, on the brow of a hill, 10 kilometres to the west of Zacatecoluca—the said highland measuring from north to south some 36 kilometres, and from east to west about 7. It is situated on a large tract of level ground, upon which, towards the north, are two hills—La Chorrera and El Tacuazín; in the former is situated the cave in which the celebrated Indian, Aquino, took refuge.
Numbers of excellent stock and grain farms exist here, upon which are cultivated large quantities of cereals, and which formerly produced a remarkable quantity of very good indigo. Such are El Pedregal, La Vandería, Tegüistocoyo, Novillos, Ojo, Troncones, and Santa Teresa. A very ancient town also is San Juan Nonualco, situated to the west, 4 kilometres from Zacatecoluca, and about 100 metres above the level of the sea. The highroad leading from Zacatecoluca to the Capital of the Republic passes by here, and at San Juan it throws off a branch which runs directly to the port of La Libertad.
Among its best-known coffee plantations are—Las Nubes, San Pedro, El Consuelo, and Las Granadillas. There is also carried on a great deal of timber-felling, and there are some sawmills erected among the hills of Pilon and Caballito. In this district there are no natural springs of water, which element has been supplied by sinking wells near the pool of La Laguneta, formed at the time of the rains.
San Rafael is a town which was founded in the year 1882 on lands which were the property of the Obrajuelos, the portion belonging to the town being marked off by boundaries and landmarks. The only hill worthy of mention in the district of San Rafael is that of the Carao.
The little town of San Pedro Nonualco is situated in the hollow of a hill and upon the slopes of a small volcano, 20 kilometres to the north of Zacatecoluca. It enjoys a mild and salubrious climate, especially in the dry season; whilst during the rainy season there is sufficient humidity for agricultural purposes. The principal sources are—El Pringadero, El Pataiste, El Hiscanal, El Chinte, La Gotera (which last is that from which is drawn the water used by the town), La Montañita, Los Naranjos, and a number of other small streams which supply the country with an abundance of water.