Chalatenango, city, northern El Salvador. It lies along the Tamulasco and Cholco rivers at an elevation of 1,660 feet (506 metres). Originally an Indian settlement, it was placed under the Spanish colonial governor Carardalet in 1791 and was declared a town in 1847 and a city in 1871. The city’s annual agricultural fair is a national event. Wheat, sugarcane, cassava, sisal (for cordage), indigo, coffee, and fruits are grown in the surrounding area. There is also some light industrial development (pottery, rope making, and indigo processing) in Chalatenango itself. The city was damaged during clashes between government troops and leftist guerrillas in the early 1980s. Chalatenango was one of the main strongholds of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional; FMLN) guerrillas in the 1980s. Pop. (2005 est.) urban area, 16,200.