YUSCARN

town, southeastern Honduras. It lies at the eastern foot of the Montaa (ridge) de Monserrat near the Choluteca River, at an elevation of 3,379 feet (1,030 m). Founded between 1730 and 1740, when gold and silver were discovered in the area, Yuscarn was a prosperous mining centre during the colonial period. Mining halted in the 19th century but was resumed in the 1940s. The town, which preserves a colonial atmosphere, is also a commercial centre in an area producing mainly timber, grains, and fruits; it also has a liquor distillery. It is accessible by highway from Tegucigalpa, the national capital; a road also leads to the Nicaraguan border. Pop. (1988 prelim.) 2,155.