It is located in the western highlands and shares the borders with the Mexican state of Chiapas in the north and west; with El Quiché in the east, and Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango and San Marcos in the south.

While the Mam are predominant in the department, other Maya groups are the Q'anjob'al, Chuj, Jakaltek, Tektik, Awakatek, Chalchitek, Akatek and K'iche'.

[5] Huehuetenango covers an area of 7,403 square kilometres (2,858 sq mi) in western Guatemala and is bordered on the north and west by Mexico.

[6] The department encompasses almost the entire length of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes mountain range, although there is a wide difference in altitude across the department, from heights of 3,352 metres (10,997 ft) above mean sea level to as low as 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level, encompassing an equally wide variation in local climate, ranging from mountain peaks where the temperature sometimes falls below freezing to tropical lowland rainforest.

[19] In 1684, a council led by Enrique Enriquez de Guzmán, then governor of Guatemala, decided upon the reduction of San Mateo Ixtatán and nearby Santa Eulalia, both within the colonial administrative district of the Corregimiento of Huehuetenango.

[20] On 2 February 1838, Huehuetenango joined with Quetzaltenango, El Quiché, Retalhuleu, San Marcos and Totonicapán to form the short-lived Central American state of Los Altos.

[21] Huehuetenango includes pre-Columbian Maya archaeological sites at Zaculeu, Chalchitán, Mojá and San Mateo Ixtatán.

In modern times agriculture is the most important industry, although mining continues on a small scale and handicraft production also contributes to the local economy.

On the warmer lower slopes the primary crops are coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, chili, yuca, achiote and a wide range of fruits.

[27] Although historically cattle and horse farming were important, the size of production is much reduced in modern times, with the rearing of sheep, which is now more widespread.

[80] The main tourist attractions in the department include the source of the San Juan River and the restored Maya ruins of Zaculeu.