It serves as the capital of the department of Santa Rosa and as the administrative seat for the surrounding municipality of Cuilapa.

[5] On Saturday 8 March 1913, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit Santa Rosa, destroying its department capital, Cuilapa.

[6] Both the initial quake and the aftershocks destroyed a lot of private homes, and also the cathedral and the prison, leaving behind significant human losses; similar destruction occurred at Barberena, Cerro Redondo, Llano Grande and El Zapote.

[6] Around Cuilapa, there were landslides and road blockades, and even a long crack was reported at Los Esclavos hill.

Cuilapa is surrounded by Santa Rosa Department municipalities, except by East where it borders Jutiapa:[8]