Country Colombia Founded 15 October 1783 Area 29 ha Population 6,559 (2015) | Department Boyacá Department Website Official website Local time Monday 8:08 PM Province Márquez Province | |
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Time zone Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5) Weather 15°C, Wind NW at 6 km/h, 92% Humidity | ||
Nuevo Colón is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the subregion of the Márquez Province. The urban centre is located at an altitude of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, at a distance of 34 kilometres (21 mi) from the departmental capital Tunja. Nuevo Colón borders Boyacá, Boyacá, Ventaquemada and Jenesano in the north, Tibaná and Turmequé in the south, Tibaná in the east and Turmequé and Ventaquemada in the west.
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Map of Nuevo Col%C3%B3n, Boyac%C3%A1, Colombia
Etymology
Nuevo Colón was first called Chiriví, after the name of the area in the time before the Spanish conquest, when it was inhabited by the Chibcha-speaking Muisca. Chiriví means "our". It received the name Nuevo Colón in 1907.
History
Chiriví was part of the domains of the zaque of Hunza before the conquest. Conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada passed through Nuevo Colón in 1537, when he was crossing the Tenza Valley to discover the emerald mines of Somondoco, on his way to Hunza. Chiriví, as Nuevo Colón was called, after the foundation of Tunja, became part of the encomienda of Gonzalo Suárez Rendón. Nuevo Colón was visited by the first evangelisers in 1556, the first church was constructed in 1776 and modern Nuevo Colón was founded on October 15, 1783. The colour orange in the coat of arms of the municipality refers to skin colour of the indigenous Muisca.
Economy
Around 80% of the economy of Nuevo Colón is based on agriculture of fruits. Main products cultivated are prunes, pears, apples, peaches, and the typical Colombian fruits curuba, tree tomato, papayuela, feijoa, granadilla and uchuva. Additionally potatoes, beans and maize are grown.