Cundinamarca

Cundinamarca is one of the 32 departments that, together with Bogotá, Capital District, make up the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is Bogota, the capital of the country. It is located in the center of the country, in the Andean region, bordering Boyacá to the north, Meta to the east and south, Huila to the south, and Tolima and Caldas to the west. Nestled in its territory is the Capital District of Bogotá, which it surrounds except for its southeastern limit.

With some 3,577,177 inhabitants (not including Bogotá) in 2023, it is the third most populous department —behind Antioquia and Valle del Cauca— and with 111 inhabitants/km², the seventh most densely populated, behind San Andrés y Providencia, Atlántico, Quindío, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca and Caldas. It was created on August 4, 1886, when the Constitution of 1886 was promulgated.

Orfebre representation of the ancient tradition of Zipa, which, covered in gold, makes offerings to the goddess of the Guatavita lagoon to which it was launched with gold objects. In this tradition is the origin of El Dorado.

Toponymy

The origin of the name Cundinamarca is unknown. It has been proposed that it is an adaptation of Quechua Kuntur Marka ( nest of the condor ). The Spanish conquerors when they arrived in these lands and listening to both words, interpreted it as stopumarca , cuntinamarca and finally Cundinamarca that, in Spanish, would mean region or province of the condor; brand is commonly related by the consonance, with region and brand, word that was formerly used in Europe to appoint border territories of a kingdom (hence the word Marqués ).

Another theory says that being " Cundinamarca " An unknown word in the Muisca language, which lacked the letters d and r , it would be confirmed that the name of Cundinamarca means land or region of Denmark. The word quyca in a muisca language means land, homeland, region, world or territory; the muisis would say something similar to quicadinamarca , which, Hispanized by the Spanish conquerors, changed to Cundinamarca. On the other hand, in Danish and in other Scandinavian languages konge , with the " e " Sorda [Kɔnɡə] </s), having konge danmark A phonetics similar to Cundinamarca, [Kundinaˈmaɾka] . These conjectures refer to an earlier arrival to the Spaniards of Danes or Scandinavians to the territory. Thus, it is speculated, for example, about the legend of Bochica, who in Muisca mythology was a civilizing hero, or a god, who taught the muiscas to spin which was described as a man with white skin, blue eyes, blonde or white hair and long beard to the waist, wearing a blanket to calves, with bare feet and carrying a golden staff, which coincides with the change to sedentary lifestyle of the muisisas.

HISTORY

PREHISTORY PERIOD

The territory of Cundinamarca was inhabited almost from 12000 a. C. As evidenced by the fossil records found in the Abra, Zipaquirá, Nemocón, Soacha and Tequendama. Like Mesoamerica and the Andean region of Peru, he lived periods of cultural evolution from the nomadism to the settlement of an advanced culture, passing the preclassic, classical and post -classic periods, but the premium civilizations left few traces of their development.

The Muiscas, belonging to the Chibcha linguistic family, would have arrived at some point between the years 1000 BC. C. and 1000 d. C., in the classic period. Corn cultivation, potato, tomato, etc. It appeared towards 1200 a. C., when moderate sedentary lifestyle developed. Intensive agriculture and industrial processes allowed the development in Cundinamarca of the third most advanced pre -Hispanic culture in America, the Muiscas. Probably in the century XIV , the peoples of Caribbean origin invaded the Magdalena Valley and the provinces of Sumapaz, Tequendama, Gualivá and Rionegro, and panches were called while some minor tribes of Arawak origin were displaced to the llanero foothills.

Spanish period

When the Spaniards arrived in the region, they found that the Muiscas inhabited the highlands and were governed by the Zipa and a series of minor caciques. Two strong clashes in Zipaquirá and on the banks of the Bogotá River defeated the Chibchas and the Zipa Tisquesusa took the withdrawal. Located in Facatativá, he was killed by the Spaniards. An alliance with his successor Sagipa allowed to defeat and subdue the panches in the battle of touch and later with the agreement in Tocaima the remaining nation Panche was submitted. In this way, the entire territory of Cundinamarca was subject to the Spanish crown.

Territory of the Province of Bogotá in 1810, which was proclaimed independent as the Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca in 1811.

The savanna of Bogotá was the scene of the meeting of the conquerors Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, Nicolás de Federmán and Sebastián de Belalcázar in 1538. Although Jiménez de Quesada called New Kingdom of Granada the territories, the region was submitted in its origins to The Government of Cartagena. It was constituted as Royal Audience in 1548, belonging to the Viceroyalty of Peru and since 1564 appointed presidents. During all these years the territories expanded until the territory of the current Colombia occupied.

On March 9, 1687 in the city of Santafe in Bogotá and its surroundings felt a loud noise accompanied by a sulfur stench that caused panic in the population, and whose origin could not be determined. To refer to very distant events in time, the expression " in the noise time ". In 1717 it became a viceroyalty, which was suspended in 1724 and restored in 1739; He continued until the independence movement of 1810, was last restored in 1816, when the reconquest, and definitely abolished in 1819 in Independence. In Cundinamarca there were also episodes of the insurrection of the community members on the table, Villeta, Guaduas and Bituima.

INDEPENDENCE

The Sovereign State of Cundinamarca.

Since July 16, 1813, the feat of independence took place in Cundinamarqués territory. There the word "Cundinamarca" when the centralists under the command of Antonio Nariño wanted to create a unified and centralist state with this name; meanwhile, the federalists of Camilo Torres clashed to create the "United Provinces of New Granada". This period of civil war favored the Spanish reconquest in 1816. After the Battle of Boyacá, independence was achieved and the name of Cundinamarca was extended to all of New Granada.

In 1831, New Granada was separated from Gran Colombia, and Cundinamarca became one of its departments. Due to different political-administrative changes, said territorial entity was dissolved in several provinces, including Bogotá, which became the Sovereign State of Cundinamarca on June 15, 1857 from the union of the New Granada provinces of Bogotá, Mariquita, Neiva, Tequendama, Zipaquirá and the Territory of San Martín. This state existed during the time of the Grenadine Confederation and later of the United States of Colombia, thanks to the Federal constitutions.

In 1886, thanks to the new political constitution, Cundinamarca became a Department from the creation of the new Republic of Colombia. As a curious fact, President Manuel Antonio Sanclemente ruled from Villeta because he could not stand the cold climate of the capital, Bogota.

20th and 21st centuries

At the beginning of the 20th century, Cundinamarca was divided for the last time into the homonymous department (capital in Facatativá), Quesada (Zipaquirá) and the Capital District of Bogotá between 1905 and 1910, as a result of Rafael's political reforms Kings. During the government of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, Bogotá was declared a Special District. The 1991 constitution ratified it as the Capital District, converting it into an independent entity of the first order in the country. Despite the fact that the Government of Cundinamarca is based in Bogotá, the Department does not have jurisdiction over said city and for this reason there is no administrative correspondence. Alternatives for the capital of the department have been proposed to municipalities such as Girardot, Chía, Zipaquirá, Fusagasugá, Facatativá and Soacha (of which the latter was denied by the Congress of the Republic in October 2022).

Geography

Physical map of Cundinamarca.

Limits

Cundinamarca is delimited by the following departments:

Northwest: Caldas (Roo Magdalena)	North: Boyacá (Río Guaguaquí)	Northeast: Boyacá (Ríos Súnuva and Guavio)
West: Tolima (Roo Magdalena)		This: Target (Rio Upía)
Southwest: Tolima (Río Sumapaz)	South: Huila	Sureste: Target (Ríos Blanco and Guacavia)

.

The Capital District of Bogotá, located in the center of the department, is a municipal entity of the same departmental level, the capital and the seat of the government and its entities, although politically and administratively it is not a formal part of Cundinamarca.

Physiography

The territory corresponds to the Eastern Cordillera that penetrates from the south forming the complex of the páramos of Sumapaz and Cruz Verde; in its middle part it presents the plateau of the Sabana de Bogotá; and further north the valley of Ubaté and Simijaca. The flat and warm sectors of the department correspond to the Magdalena Valley and the part of the Eastern Plains.

Hydrography

Vehicle bridge over the Magdalena River that connects the towns of Girardot and Flandes (Colombia).

To the west of the department, the Magdalena River emerges as the main fluvial tributary of the department, especially in the port of Girardot, where activities such as contemplation navigation and artisanal fishing are carried out. In another era, the port was used to transport merchandise from Barranquilla to Bogotá, and coffee for export from the center of the country was shipped there.

Tequendama jump.

Another very important river is the Bogotá, which rises at the top of Calavera Villapinzón and flows into the Magdalena, after passing through the Salto del Tequendama, a tourist site par excellence, located 30 km southwest of Bogotá, 2,467 meters above sea level, with a waterfall of approximately 157 meters.

However, due to the pollution generated by tanneries, industries, garbage, and human waste, the Bogotá river is considered one of the most polluted in the world. The Guavío and Humaca rivers are also relevant.

On the other hand, the Sumapaz River is born in the páramo of the same name, the highest in the world. It is part of the Sumapaz National Natural Park, which extends to the department of Meta.

It is worth noting the presence of the Guatavita, Fúquene, Chisacá, Sibaté, Tominé, La Regadera, El Hato lagoons and the Chingaza, Néusa, Sisga and Guavio dams. The latter, known as the Guavio Hydroelectric Power Plant, is the largest dam in Colombia. It is located in the municipality of Gachalá and has been operating since December 15, 1992. Together with the previous dams, they serve as the main drinking water suppliers for Bogotá..

Climate

The climatic conditions of this department are determined mainly by the geographical position and by its relief. Because the departmental territory is located in the Andes mountain range, temperatures are influenced by its altimetric position, and due to atmospheric circulation, and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC), which determine the rainfall regime.

Natural parks

Sumapaz National Natural Park

In the department of Cundinamarca there are 2 national parks, both corresponding to the Andean páramo ecosystem.

• National Natural Park Chingaza
• Sumapaz National Natural Park

Cundinamarca is rich in natural resources, especially water, for which reason there are several natural reserves in the department as part of the environmental protection program of the CAR. The system of protected areas created in Cundinamarca has a total of twelve declared areas, of which seven are protective forest reserve areas, three are protective-producing forest reserve areas, one integrated management district and one special management area. covering an area of 28,120.01 hectares. Some of these areas are:

• Protective forest reserve area of the "Birth of the River Bogota"
• Protective Forest Reserve Area "El Robledal"
• Protective Reserve Area Producer «El Sapo»
• Protective reserve area «Quebrada Honda y Calderitas»
• Protective Reserve Area «Pantano Redondo y río Susagua»
• Protective reserve area «Páramo de Rabanal»
• Protective forest reserve zone "Laguna de Pedro Palo"
• Protective forest reserve area for the production of "Laguna de Guatavita y Loma de Peña Blanca"

Government

The Gobernación de Cundinamarca is a Colombian institution with autonomy for the administration of sectional affairs and the planning and promotion of economic and social development within the territory of the Department of Cundinamarca under the terms established by the Colombian Constitution. Thus, the Government exercises administrative functions, coordination, complementarity of the action of the municipalities that integrate it, intermediation between the Nation and said municipalities and provision of services determined by the Constitution and the laws. The headquarters of the Government of Cundinamarca is located on Eldorado Avenue (Calle 26 N° 51-53). The complex of 40,000 square meters of construction, is made up of four buildings: the Departmental Assembly, identified by its pyramid-shaped roof; the headquarters of the government, the Cundinamarca Charity and another where the secretariats work.

This headquarters, inaugurated in 1997, allowed to unify the departmental administration, which previously operated in 23 different sites in Bogotá. The building is close to other government agencies in the National Administrative Center (CAN).

Political-administrative division

Water of God

Alban

Anapoima

Anolaima

APARTMENT

Arbeláez

Beltrán

Bituima

Bojacá

Cabrera

Cachipay

Cajicá

Caparrapí

Cáqueza

Carmen de Carupa

Chaguaní

Chía

Chipaque

Choachí

Chocontá

Co.

Quote

Cucunubá

The College

The Kidney

The Rosal

Facatativá

Fómeque

Fosca

Fun

Fúquene

Fusagasugá

Gachalá

Gachancipá

Gachetá

Gama

Girardot

Grenada

Guachetá

Guaduas

Guasca

Guataquí

Guatavita

Guayabal de Siquima

Guayabetal

Gutiérrez

Jerusalem

Junín

The Calera

The Bureau

La Palma

La Peña

La Vega

Language

Machetá

Madrid

Manta

Medina

Mosquera

Nariño

Nemocon

Nile

Nimaima

Nocaima

Pacho

Paime

Pandi

Paratebueno

Pasca

Puerto Salgar

Pulí

Quebradanegra

Burn me.

Quipile

Ricaurte

San Antoniodel Tequendama

San Bernardo

San Cayetano

San Francisco

San Juande Rioseco

Sasaima

Sesquilé

Sibaté

Silvania

Simijaca

Soacha

Soup

Subachoque

Suesca

Supatá

Susa

Sutatausa

Tabio

Tausa

Tena

Got it.

Tibacuy

Tibirita

Tocaima

Tocancipá

Topaipí

Ubalá

Ubalá

Ubaque

Ubaté

Une

Unique

Venice

Vergara

Vianí

Villagómez

Villapinzón

Villeta

Viotá

Yacopí

Zipacon

Zipaquirá

Cundinamarca is divided into 116 municipalities and the Capital District of Bogotá. The last villages erected as municipalities are Granada (1995) and El Rosal (1997).

In addition to the municipalities, these are settled within 15 provinces to facilitate the administration of the department, they are:

Almeidas Alto Magdalena Under Magdalena Gualivá Guavio Magdalena Centre Medina East Rionegro Sabana Centro Sabana West Soacha Sumapaz Tequendama Ubaté

The provinces of Cundinamarca.

Relation between Bogota and Cundinamarca

Headquarters of the Cundinamarca governorate in Bogotá.

The relationship between Bogotá and Cundinamarca is complex because although the former is the capital of the latter, they only share the Courts of Justice of Bogotá and Cundinamarca. On the contrary, neither the governor nor the departmental assembly have jurisdiction over Bogotá nor are they elected by the Bogotanos, therefore, the Bogotanos do not participate in the election of these officials. The capital of Bogotá over Cundinamarca is the only one that is designated in the constitution (hence if the capital were ever to be moved, a constitutional reform would be needed to do so, rather than a simple ordinance approved by the Assembly of Cundinamarca).

Although there have been some proposals to move the capital to another city outside the capital district, these have failed. In a presentation made in the national senate in 2022, it is indicated that this change would negatively affect departmental finances, since there is a special tax regime where the department receives $965,752 million Colombian pesos of tax revenue caused in the Capital District, whose transfer would negatively affect the department's coffers.

Demography and ethnography

Evolution of the population of the department of Cundinamarca (1912-2023)

Population by census.Population by projection.Population of the Capital District (Bogotá).Capital District population according to projection.Source: Statoids. DANE.

According to the last census held in 2018, in Cundinamarca they inhabit 2 ' 919,060 people., Not counting the 7 ' 412,566 of the capital, Bogotá. The racial composition, without Bogotá, is:

• Mestizos y Blancos (96.29%)
• Black or Afro-Colombian (3.37%)
• Amerindians or Indigenous people (0.34%)
• Gypsies (0,00%)

The district of Bogotá together with the municipalities of Bojacá, Cajicá, Chía, Cogua, Cota, El Rosal, Facatativá, Funza, Gachancipá, La Calera, Madrid, Mosquera, Nemocón, Soacha, Sibaté, Sopó, Subachoque, Tabio, Tenjo, Tocancipá and Zipaquirá make up a single metropolitan area de facto, being the most populated area of the department, the country and northern South America

Cundinamarca is made up of 116 municipalities, 8 of which have a population close to or greater than 100,000 inhabitants, which are: Soacha, Zipaquirá, Girardot, Fusagasugá, Facatativá, Chía, Mosquera and Madrid; in addition to Bogotá, with the category of Capital District.

• Bogotá: It is the largest, inhabited and cosmopolitan city of Cundinamarca and Colombia. Its economic activity is multisectoral; it is the largest cultural, commercial, institutional and administrative centre in Colombia and one of the most important in Latin America. The Capital District is divided into 20 localities and its population for 2018 was 7'412,566 inhabitants according to the DANE. The city has a metropolitan area that, among others, includes the municipalities of Soacha, Chía and Facatativá, with which it reaches a population of about 10 million people.
• Facatativá:The city has two major shopping centers: the Nova Plaza Shopping Center and the El Portico Shopping Center, which have as main sponsors to the supermarkets Metro and Éxito respectively, of foreign capital, in addition to having companies of the region such as the Mercacentro supermarket and Supermarkets Cundinamarca, which are the traditional sites for economics and service visited by the inhabitants of the Western Region salary of the Sabana de Bogotá, in their minimum majority canta. In addition, Facatativá has other commercial venues, such as the Centro Los Portón and the Centro Fundadores, which had a cinema room today converted into a restaurant.
• Girardot: At the south-western end of the Department and limiting to the Tolima, it is the capital of the Province of Alto Magdalena. Its main economic activity focuses on trade as a result of an important tourist dynamic and its neighborhood with important agricultural areas of the Tolima; it is also a university center, also has important fairs and events.

La Casona Coburg, in Fusagasugá.

• Fusagasugá: Located on the road Bogotá-Girardot is about 59 km from the capital. The municipality is the Capital of the Province of Sumapaz. It is an important axis of agricultural marketing and regional services, also highlighting itself as an educational city and a large university center, with a growing population trend. Its economy focuses mainly on trade and agricultural marketing, with an important production of ornamental vegetation and flowers for export, so it is known as the garden city of Colombia.
• Zipaquirá: Despite being part of the metropolitan area of Bogotá, it has managed to position itself as one of the most important saline centers in Colombia. Its economic activity focuses on mining and tourism, in addition to this it has the First Wonder of Colombia, which is the Cathedral of Sal, its historical center has several hotels, among them the most outstanding is the Hotel Cacique Real, which shows the colonial customs in Colombia in the full centuryXVII, whenever the subject of the capital of Cundinamarca is touched, Zipaquirá is always the city that most votes in favor has to be designated the capital of Cundinamarca, for its great economy and size.
• Metropolitan Area of Bogotá: Formed by the municipalities of Soacha, Facatativá, Chía, Madrid, Funza and Mosquera, among others. Its activity focuses on the industrial sector. The real estate activity is especially important in the suburbs closest to Bogotá such as Chía, La Calera and Tocancipá.

Other important municipalities are Ubaté thanks to its high livestock and dairy production. Guaduas, is a very important cultural center. Chocontá and Pacho are agricultural centers.

Economy

Zipaquirá is a mining, agricultural and dairy municipality

The most outstanding natural resources in the department of Cundinamarca are coal (a part of this natural resource is exploited illegally) and salt, mainly in Zipaquirá, Nemocón and Tausa. There is also lime, iron, sulfur, emeralds, quartz, lead plaster, copper and marble. The main agricultural products are coffee, corn, sugar cane, potato, barley, wheat, cassava, cotton, rice, beans and fruits, the department is the first producer of sugar cane in the country. The dairy industry is highly developed, especially in the Sabana de Bogotá and in the Ubaté valley. In the capital city and its surroundings, there is one of the most industrialized sectors of the country with metallurgical, pharmaceutical, textile industries and large export flower crops. Some areas suffer from high environmental pollution, such as the banks of the Bogotá River and those with a high industrial concentration, such as Soacha, Bosa and Zipaquirá.

Tourist sites

Province of Alto Magdalena.

Spa resorts in Girardot and Ricaurte.

Sumapaz Province

The natural reserve of the Páramo de Sumapaz; spas, nurseries, flora, fifths of summer, climate and landscape of Fusagasugá, Puente Natural and Piedra del Helechal in Pandi, the Archaeological Museum of Pasca, rest houses in Arbelaéz. Real Ways, Stone of the Sun, Stone of the Fish, Parish Temple and Mausoleum of St. Bernard's Mummys.

Province of Sabana West

Tourist train from the Sabana de Bogotá.

Archaeological Park Stones del Tunjo located in the city of Facatativá.

Province of Sabana Centro

The Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá, El Autódromo and the Jaime Duque Park in Tocancipá, the Neusa reservoir in Cogua and the University of La Sabana in Chía

Tequendama Province

Cascada del Tambo, Santa Cruz Zoo and Pedro Palo Lagoon in Tena

Spas and eco-park "El Gaitero" in Anapoima, Mountain Train Tour in Cachipay, festivals of Corpus Christi in Anolaima.

Provinces of the Almeidas

Rocks of Suesca,

Ubaté Province

Basil Minor of Ubaté; doctrine group of Sutatausa; Stone hanging, Susa; Treasury of Aposentos, Simijaca.

Soacha Province

Salto del Tequendama, Parque natural Chicaque.

Guavio Province

Ancient Stone, Gachetá

Education

The department has private and public universities (not including Bogotá). The most important public university is the University of Cundinamarca (UdeC) which has branches in Fusagasugá (main campus), Girardot, Soacha, Zipaquirá, Chía, Facatativa and Ubaté. It is also the main public university of the department.

Among the private ones, the Pilot University of Colombia, the Uniagustiniana University, the Catholic University of Colombia, the University of La Sabana, the Technological Foundation of Madrid, the Santo Tomás University, the University Foundation of the Andean Area, the Escuela of Non-commissioned Officers of the Colombian Air Force (Esufa), the Military School of Non-commissioned Officers Sergeant Inocencio Chincá (Emsub), the School of Communications (Escom) and the Nueva Granada Military University.

Transportation

Being located in the center of the country, Cundinamarca is a connection center between the different regions and cities of the country.

Aerial

The main airport serving the region is Eldorado International Airport, located in Bogotá, the departmental capital. Likewise, there are the following airports and aerodromes:

• Guaymaral Flaminio Suárez Camacho Airport located in Bogotá.
• Santiago Vila Airport, while located in the department of Tolima, is the airport that serves Girardot and its metropolitan area.

Roads

Cundinamarca is connected to the rest of the country through several first and second order roads. Most of them are simple and winding roads due to the complicated geography of the department.

Fluvial

The main means of transportation by water in the department are the Bogotá and Magdalena rivers. Most of the activity occurs in Girardot and Puerto Salgar.

Iron

Cundinamarca was the center of the Colombian railway network during the XX century, however in the last years of During that period, with the disappearance of the National Railways, a large part of the tracks fell into disuse. Currently there are only two active lines:

• The Train of the savanna between Bogotá and Zipaquirá for transport of passengers.
• The Northeast Railway between Bogota and Villapinzón, heading towards Boyacá, currently only works for cargo transport.

There are, however, several projects for the reactivation of the iron mode in the department. Among them:

• The Regiotram of the West, a train from Bogota to Facatativá.
• El Regiotram del Norte, train from Bogotá to Zipaquirá.
• The Atlantic Railway, rehabilitation and construction of a new route between Bogotá and Guaduas; it is proposed as an alternative for the movement of cargo between the center of the country and the Atlantic coast.