Cuscatlán Department

{{Short description|Department of El Salvador}}

{{For|pre-Columbian polity|Cuzcatlan}}

{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Expand Spanish}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Cuscatlán

| settlement_type = Department

| image_flag = Bandera_del_Departamento_de_Cuscatlán.PNG

| image_map = Cuscatlan in El Salvador.svg

| mapsize = frameless

| map_caption = Location within El Salvador

| coordinates = {{coord|13.838|-89.031|region:SV_type:adm1st|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|El Salvador}}

| established_title = Created
{{nobold|{{small|(given current status)}}}}

| established_date = 1835

| seat = Cojutepeque

| area_total_km2 = 756.19

| area_rank = Ranked 14th

| population_total = 244,901

| population_as_of = 2024

| population_footnotes = {{Cite web |title=Población total por departamento |trans-title=Total population per department |url=https://geoportal.bcr.gob.sv/pages/poblacion |access-date=13 November 2024 |website=Portal Geoestadístico Resultados del Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |language=es}}

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_rank = Ranked 12th

| timezone = CST

| utc_offset = −6

| area_code_type = Calling code

| iso_code = SV-CU

}}

Cuscatlán ({{IPA|es|kuskaˈtlan}}) is a department of El Salvador, located in the center of the country. With a surface area of {{Convert|756.19|km2|mi2}}, it is El Salvador's smallest department. Cuscatlán or Cuzcatlán was the name the original inhabitants of the Western part of the country gave to most of the territory that is now El Salvador. In their language it means "land of precious jewels". It was created on 22 May 1835. Suchitoto was the first capital of the department but on 12 November 1861, Cojutepeque was made the capital. It is known in producing fruits, tobacco, sugar cane, and coffee among other items. The department is famous for its chorizos from the city of Cojutepeque.