1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/San Miguel

SAN MIGUEL, the capital of the department of San Miguel, Salvador; 80 m. E. by S. of San Salvador, near the right bank of the Rio Grande, and at the foot of the volcano of San Miguel or Jucuapa (7120 ft.). Pop. (1905) about 25,000. San Miguel is an important and attractive city, although the extensive swamps in the Rio Grande Valley render malaria common. It possesses several handsome churches, municipal buildings, law courts and two well-equipped hospitals. Near it are the ruins of an ancient Indian town. San Miguel has a flourishing trade in indigo, grain, rubber and cattle. Its port is La Union La Union (q.v.). San Miguel was founded in 1530 by Spanish settlers, and became a city in 1586. Its fairs formerly attracted merchants from all parts of Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and it is now third in size among the cities of the republic.