Boyacá, Boyacá Facts for Kids

This article is about Boyacá (disambiguation)|Boyacá. For other uses, see Boyacá, Boyacá (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Boyacá

Municipality and town

Church of Boyacá

Flag

Location of the municipality and town of Boyacá in the Boyacá department of Colombia

Country

Colombia

Department

Boyacá Department

Province

Márquez Province

Founded

8 August 1537

Founded by

Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada

Area

• Municipality and town

48 km² (19 sq mi)

Elevation

2,420 m (7,940 ft)

Population

(2015)

• Municipality and town

4,472

• Density

93.2/km² (241.3/sq mi)

• Urban

403

Time zone

UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)

Website

Official website: http://www.boyaca-boyaca.gov.co/

Boyacá is a small town and local area in Colombia. It is part of the Boyacá region, specifically in the Márquez Province. This town is about 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) away from Tunja, which is the capital city of the Boyacá region.

Boyacá shares its borders with other towns. To the north, it borders Tunja and Soracá. To the south, it borders Jenesano. To the west, it borders Nuevo Colón and Ramiriquí. And to the east, it borders Ventaquemada.

What Does the Name Boyacá Mean?
A Look Back: The History of Boyacá
Gallery
See also

What Does the Name Boyacá Mean?

The name "Boyacá" is very old. It comes from the Chibcha language, which was spoken by the native people of this area. In Chibcha, the name means "Region of the blankets" or "Home of the chief."

A Look Back: The History of Boyacá

Before the Spanish arrived, the area where Boyacá is now was part of the Muisca people's land. The Muisca were a large group of native people in Colombia. This specific area was ruled by a local leader from a nearby place called Hunza.

Modern Boyacá was officially started on August 8, 1537. It was founded by a Spanish explorer named Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. He was exploring the region looking for a legendary golden city known as El Dorado.