The departmental capital is the town of Santa Rosa de Copán.

The department is famous for its Pre-Columbian archaeological site at Copán, one of the greatest cities of the Maya civilization.

The department of Copán covers a total surface area of 3,242 km2 and, in 2015, had an estimated population of about 382,722 people.

The territory that today is the department was inhabited by the Maya-Chortis civilization in the west and north; and Lenca in the extreme south.

On that date it was officially created as the Department of Copán and the city of Santa Rosa de Copán was named as the capital, during the administration of Captain General Don José María Medina.