Chocontá facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chocontá
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Municipality and town
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Main square of Chocontá
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Location of the municipality and town inside Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
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 Chocontá
Location in Colombia
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Department |  Cundinamarca |
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| Province | Almeidas Province | ||
| Founded | 6 September 1563 | ||
| Founded by | Tómas López | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality and town | 300.2 km2 (115.9 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 2,655 m (8,711 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018 census)
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| • Municipality and town | 20,568 | ||
| • Density | 68.514/km2 (177.45/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 10,554 | ||
| • Urban density | 6,680/km2 (17,300/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) | ||
| Website | Official website: http://www.choconta-cundinamarca.gov.co/ | ||
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Chocontá is a town and municipality in Colombia. It's part of the Cundinamarca region, specifically in the Almeidas Province. You can find it right on the Pan-American Highway, a very important road. In 2018, about 20,568 people lived there.
Contents
What Does the Name Chocontá Mean?
The name Chocontá comes from the Chibcha language. This was the language of the Muisca, who lived in this area long ago. In their language, Chocontá means "Farmlands of the good ally" or "Garden of the neighbour."
A Look Back at Chocontá's History
Chocontá has a rich history, especially related to the Muisca people and the arrival of the Spanish.
Ancient Battles and Early Settlements
Chocontá was located on the border of two important Muisca territories. One was led by a leader called the cacique of Vélez. The other was the southern Muisca zipazgo reign, led by a zipa. Around the year 1490, a big and bloody battle happened here. The armies of the northern Muisca, led by Michuá, fought against the southern Muisca warriors, led by Saguamanchica. This event is known as the Battle of Chocontá.
The Arrival of the Spanish
In 1537, Spanish explorers, called conquistadors, arrived in the Colombian highlands. One of their leaders was Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. On June 9, 1537, a Spanish priest named Father Fray Domingo de las Casas arrived in Chocontá. He held a special mass and named the place Pueblo del Espíritu Santo, which means "Town of the Holy Spirit." The town was officially founded by Tómas López on September 6, 1563. It was later moved to a new spot in 1573.
Important Moments in Chocontá
Chocontá has played a role in Colombia's history.
- In 1854, the country's presidential headquarters were briefly located in Chocontá. On April 21, 1854, Tomás de Herrera was declared president in the town's church building.
- On August 9, 1819, a famous leader named Simón Bolívar arrived in Chocontá. He rested in what is now the House of Culture after a big victory. His visit helped shape the future of the Colombian Republic.
Fun Facts About Chocontá
Here are some interesting things to know about Chocontá:
- Chocontá is known as the main producer of delicious strawberries in Colombia.
- The town has a cool nickname: La ciudad satélite de Colombia. This means "The satellite town of Colombia." It got this name because of the many satellite dishes from a company called Telecom.
- The Sisga Reservoir, a large body of water, is located within Chocontá.
- There's even a type of insect called Choconta! This group of froghoppers, including a species called Choconta circulata, was found near Bogotá and named after the town.
Chocontá's Climate
Chocontá has a mild climate throughout the year. The weather here is often cool and rainy, typical of its high elevation.
| Climate data for Chocontá (Silos), elevation 2,709 m (8,888 ft), (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18.2 (64.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
17.6 (63.7) |
17.0 (62.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
15.7 (60.3) |
16.5 (61.7) |
17.2 (63.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.7 (63.9) |
17.1 (62.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.0 (53.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
12.8 (55.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
12.6 (54.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) |
7.6 (45.7) |
8.2 (46.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
9.1 (48.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
7.9 (46.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
7.3 (45.1) |
8.2 (46.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 17.6 (0.69) |
38.9 (1.53) |
58.3 (2.30) |
87.8 (3.46) |
119.9 (4.72) |
129.2 (5.09) |
144.3 (5.68) |
107.4 (4.23) |
70.0 (2.76) |
77.6 (3.06) |
61.6 (2.43) |
24.6 (0.97) |
937.3 (36.90) |
| Average precipitation days | 7 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 202 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 83 | 83 | 84 | 87 | 88 | 90 | 91 | 90 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 85 | 87 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 204.6 | 163.7 | 145.7 | 111.0 | 114.7 | 75.0 | 96.1 | 108.5 | 123.0 | 133.3 | 138.0 | 182.9 | 1,596.5 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 6.6 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 4.4 |
| Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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Church
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Train station Chocontá
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Train station
See also
In Spanish: Chocontá para niños
