located in the western part of the country, it is bordered by the departments of Ocotepeque and Copán to the west, Intibucá to the east, and Santa Bárbara to the north.

In colonial times, Gracias was an early important administrative center for the Spaniards.

The highest mountain peak in Honduras, Cerro las Minas, is in Lempira.

The department was named after Lempira, a local chieftain of the Lenca people who fought against the Spanish conquistadores in the early 16th century.

Lempira is one of the poorest departments of the whole country and has the lowest Human Development Index.