Quetzaltenango (Spanish pronunciation: [keˌtsal.teˈnaŋ.ɡo], also known by its Kʼicheʼ Maya name Xelajú or Xela, is a municipality and the capital of the namesake department in western Guatemala. Situated within a high-altitude volcanic basin of the Sierra Madre at an elevation of 2,330 metres above sea level, the city is encircled by prominent volcanic complexes including Santa María, Santiaguito, and Cerro Quemado. It functions as the primary economic, educational, and cultural hub of the southwestern Guatemalan highlands.