Machetá

Machetá is a municipality and town of Colombia in Almeidas Province of the department of Cundinamarca. Machetá is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at 82.6 kilometres (51.3 mi) from the capital Bogotá and 74.3 kilometres (46.2 mi) from Tunja. It borders Tibiritá and Manta in the east, Chocontá and Sesquilé in the west and Guatavita and Gachetá in the south.[1]

Machetá
Municipality and town
View of Machetá
Flag
Seal
Location of the municipality and town inside Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
Machetá
Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 5°4′48.78″N 73°36′26.91″W
Country Colombia
Department Cundinamarca
ProvinceAlmeidas Province
Founded1593
Founded byMiguel de Ibarra
Government
 • MayorRafael Mauricio Forero Briceño
(2016-2019)
Area
 • Municipality and town229.35 km2 (88.55 sq mi)
 • Urban
5.35 km2 (2.07 sq mi)
Elevation
2,094 m (6,870 ft)
Population
 (2015)
 • Municipality and town6,316
 • Density28/km2 (71/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,498
Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
WebsiteOfficial website

Etymology

In the Chibcha language of the Muisca, Machetá means "Your honourable farmfields".[1][2]

History

Machetá in the times before the Spanish conquest was inhabited by the Muisca, organized in their Muisca Confederation. Machetá was ruled by the zaque based in Hunza, currently known as the capital of Boyacá Department Tunja.

Modern Machetá was founded in 1593 by Miguel de Ibarra after a soldier of the army of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada first established the town in 1540.[2]

Economy

Main economical activity of Machetá is agriculture with products as papa criolla, arracacha, peas and tomatoes.[1]

References
  1. (in Spanish) Official website Machetá Archived 2017-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
  2. (in Spanish) Espejo Olaya, Maria Bernarda (1999) Notas sobre toponimia en algunas coplas colombianas Thesaurus. Tomo LIV, Núm. 3. page 1120.
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