Socotá

Socotá
Municipality and town
Flag of Socotá Flag Official seal of Socotá Seal
Location of the municipality and town of Socotá in the Boyacá Department of Colombia Location of the municipality and town of Socotá in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Valderrama Province
Founded	19 January 1602
Founded by	Gonzalo Sánchez de Flandes
Government
• Mayor	Darío Rubén Herrera Pérez (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	600.11 km2 (231.70 sq mi)
• Urban	1 km2 (0.4 sq mi)
Elevation	2,443 m (8,015 ft)
Population (2015)
• Municipality and town	9,812
• Density	16/km2 (42/sq mi)
• Urban	1,095
Time zone	Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website	Official website

Socotá is a town and municipality in the Valderrama Province, part of the Colombian department of Boyacá. The municipality is situated in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The urban centre is at an altitude of 2,443 metres (8,015 ft) at a distance of 134 kilometres (83 mi) from the department capital Tunja. It borders Jericó and Sativanorte in the north, Pisba and Mongua in the south, Chita and Támara, Casanare in the east and Sativasur, Tasco, Socha and Gámeza in the west.

Etymology

The name Socotá comes from Chibcha and means either "Land of the Sun and farmfields" or "Good harvest".

History

Before the Spanish conquest, Socotá was the northeasternmost part of the loose Muisca Confederation. It was ruled either by the iraca of Sugamuxi or by the Tundama based in Tundama.

Modern Socotá was founded on January 19, 1602 by Gonzalo Sanchez de Flandes.

Economy

Main economical activity of Socotá is livestock farming and on a minor scale coal mining.