El Paso, Cesar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Paso, Cesar
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Municipality
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Location of the municipality and town of El Paso in the Department of Cesar.
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Region | Caribbean | |
| Department | Cesar | |
| Foundation | 1602 | |
| Population
(Census 2018)
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| • Total | 34,620 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | |
| Website | elpaso-cesar.gov.co |
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El Paso is a town and a special area called a municipality in the Cesar Department of Colombia. It is best known for having the second largest coal mine in Colombia. This big mine is located in a part of El Paso called La Loma.
What Does "El Paso" Mean?
The name El Paso means "The Path" in Spanish. This name was first written down in a document from 1602. That document was about setting up a special system called an encomienda with the native Chimila people who lived there.
The name "The Path" referred to a route taken by an explorer named Alfonso Luis de Lugo in 1544. He traveled from Cabo de la Vela on the Guajira Peninsula to Tamalameque as he explored inland towards the New Kingdom.
Where is El Paso Located?
The municipality of El Paso is in the central western part of the Department of Cesar. It shares borders with several other towns and areas:
- To the north, it borders Valledupar and Bosconia.
- To the east, it borders Los Robles La Paz, Codazzi, Becerril, and La Jagua de Ibirico.
- To the south, it borders Chiriguana.
- To the southwest, it borders Astrea.
- To the west, it borders the Department of Magdalena.
A Look at El Paso's History
The area where El Paso is today was originally home to the Chimila people. When the Spanish arrived during the Spanish colonization of the Americas, this region became a large ranch, or herd, under the control of the nearby village of Becerril. This ranch was called the Hato of San Bartolome. It was set up by Captain Bartolomé de Aníbal Paleólogo Becerra. His father, Vicencio de Anibal, was also an explorer and had received rights to the land, which Bartolomé inherited.
On August 16, 1602, the Spanish officially set up an encomienda with the Chimila people in this area. For a long time, El Paso was under the control of Valledupar, which was the main town in the region.
Later, in June 1824, a new law created the Canton of Valencia de Jesus. This new area was separated from Valledupar's control. However, this change didn't last long. On October 25, 1825, the Canton of Valencia de Jesus was removed, and El Paso once again became part of Valledupar's jurisdiction.
See also
- In Spanish: El Paso (Cesar) for kids
