Jinotepe

Jinotepe, city, southwestern Nicaragua. It is situated in the Diriamba Highlands at an elevation of 1,867 feet (569 m) above sea level. Given city status in 1883, it was a scene of heavy fighting in 1979 between Sandinista guerrillas and government troops. Jinotepe is a major commercial and manufacturing centre. The hinterland is known primarily for its coffee, but rice, sugarcane, and sesame also are grown. Livestock raising is widespread, and there is some lumbering. Limestone quarries and saltworks are located in the vicinity. Jinotepe lies along the Pan-American Highway south of Managua, the national capital, and on a branch of the Pacific Railway. The city’s colonial church has a reliquary of precious metals and gems, and an annual festival honours the patron saint, St. James the Great. Pop. (2005) urban area, 31,257.