El Espinal, Tolima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Espinal
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Municipality and town
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Location of the municipality and town of El Espinal in the Tolima Department of Colombia.
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 Espinal
Location in Colombia
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Department | Tolima Department | ||
| Founded | 1754 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality and town | 217 km2 (84 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 9.2 km2 (3.6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 323 m (1,060 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018 census)
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| • Municipality and town | 70,494 | ||
| • Density | 324.9/km2 (841.4/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 50,664 | ||
| • Urban density | 5,507/km2 (14,260/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Espinaluno | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) | ||
| Area code(s) | +57 - 8 | ||
| Website | Official website: http://www.elespinal-tolima.gov.co/ | ||
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Espinal is a town and municipality in Colombia. It is located in the Tolima Department, about 146 kilometers southwest of Bogotá. Espinal is the second most important town in its department. It is often called the "rice capital" of central Colombia.
The town is surrounded by the Magdalena River and Coello River. Espinal is famous for making traditional musical instruments. Its food is also well-known, especially tamales and suckling pig. These are popular dishes in the region. The total area of Espinal is about 231 square kilometers.
Espinal is also home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Espinal.
Climate in Espinal
Espinal has a warm climate, even though it is not very high above sea level. It gets a lot of rain from March to May and again from October to November. During these months, the sun is stronger, which makes temperatures rise. This also helps create storms in the nearby mountains.
The drier parts of the year are from January to February and from July to August. Sometimes, frost can happen in the countryside. Fog is very rare, but there are about 10 foggy days each year. Old records show that between 1930 and 1940, there were many hailstorms.
Here are some temperature facts for Espinal:
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| Highest temperature ever recorded | 47 °C |
| Average highest temperature | 32 °C |
| Average lowest temperature | 19 °C |
| Lowest temperature ever recorded | 9 °C |
Geography of Espinal
Espinal is found on the flat lands of the Upper Magdalena region. It sits 322 meters (about 1,056 feet) above sea level. The town is surrounded by the Central and Eastern mountain ranges. These are part of the large Andes mountains in Colombia.
Bullring Event in 2022
On June 26, 2022, a part of a bullring in Espinal collapsed. This happened during a popular festival called a corraleja. In a corraleja, people can go into the arena with bulls. Unlike other bullfighting events, the bulls are not killed. However, because these events are informal, serious accidents can happen.
The collapse injured many people and sadly, four people died. Images showed the wooden structures, full of people, falling down. This event led to a lot of discussion across Colombia. Many people, including government leaders, expressed sadness about the tragedy. They also called for an investigation into what happened.
The governor of Tolima confirmed that among those who died were two women, one man, and a child. Hundreds of people were injured. The governor also suggested that these types of corraleja events should be stopped. He said they are dangerous and involve animal mistreatment. This tragedy started a new debate about how safe and legal corralejas and bullfights are in Colombia. It also brought up concerns about animal welfare.
Economy of Espinal
The economy of Espinal mainly depends on agriculture. The most important crop grown here is rice. Other important crops include cotton, sorghum, soybean, maize (corn), and tobacco.
There are also other businesses in Espinal, such as mills. These businesses create many jobs for the people living in the city.
See also
In Spanish: El Espinal (Tolima) para niños
