Güicán Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Güicán

Municipality and town

Guicán de la Sierra

Flag

Seal

Location of the municipality and town of Güicán in the Boyacá Department of Colombia.

Güicán

Location in Colombia

Country

Colombia

Department

Boyacá

Province

Gutiérrez

Area

• Total

934.04 km² (360.63 sq mi)

Elevation

3,492 m (11,457 ft)

Population

(2020)

• Total

6,426

• Density

6.8798/km² (17.8186/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC-5 (COT)

Postal code

151440

Güicán de la Sierra is a cool town and area (called a municipality) in Colombia. It's located in the Boyacá Department. You might also hear it called Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Güicán.

This town is very close to a beautiful national park called El Cocuy National Park. In 2020, about 6,426 people lived in Güicán.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Güicán
A Look Back: The History of Güicán
- Early Days and Spanish Arrival
- Founding of the Town
Exploring the Geography of Güicán
- Neighboring Areas
Understanding Güicán's Climate
- Rainfall in Güicán
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Güicán

The name of this place comes from an old tribe called the Güicán people. These indigenous people used to live in this very region. They are related to the U'wa people. In their language, the name Güicán means "in the fence of the wife."

A Look Back: The History of Güicán

Early Days and Spanish Arrival

Long ago, the Güicán area was home to the Güicán tribe. Then, a Spanish explorer named Hernán Pérez de Quesada arrived. He came with his soldiers, looking for gold. The native people moved behind the Sierra Nevada mountains to get away from the Spanish.

Founding of the Town

The town of Güicán was officially started on February 26, 1756. It was founded by a Jesuit friar named Miguel Blasco.

Exploring the Geography of Güicán

Güicán is located high up in the mountains. Its average height is about 3,492 meters (that's over 11,400 feet!) above sea level.

Neighboring Areas

Güicán shares its borders with several other towns and areas:

To the north, it borders Chiscas and Cubará.
To the east, you'll find Fortul and Saravena.
To the south, it borders Tame and El Cocuy.
To the west, it's next to Panqueba and El Espino.

Understanding Güicán's Climate

Güicán has a special kind of weather called a Tundra Climate (ET). This means it's generally cold, and you won't find many trees growing there.

Rainfall in Güicán

The town gets the most rain in April. On average, it receives about 244 millimeters (or about 9.6 inches) of rain that month. The driest month is January, with only about 83 millimeters (around 3.3 inches) of rain.

Climate data for Güicán, elevation 2,963 m (9,721 ft), (1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	20.1 (68.2)	20.6 (69.1)	20.2 (68.4)	18.8 (65.8)	18.4 (65.1)	18.3 (64.9)	18.1 (64.6)	18.5 (65.3)	18.7 (65.7)	18.5 (65.3)	18.4 (65.1)	19.2 (66.6)	18.9 (66.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	13.5 (56.3)	13.6 (56.5)	13.7 (56.7)	13.4 (56.1)	13.2 (55.8)	13.0 (55.4)	12.9 (55.2)	12.9 (55.2)	12.9 (55.2)	12.9 (55.2)	12.9 (55.2)	13.2 (55.8)	13.2 (55.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	7.3 (45.1)	7.6 (45.7)	8.1 (46.6)	8.8 (47.8)	9.1 (48.4)	8.8 (47.8)	8.3 (46.9)	8.1 (46.6)	8.2 (46.8)	8.3 (46.9)	8.2 (46.8)	7.6 (45.7)	8.2 (46.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	28.0 (1.10)	41.9 (1.65)	83.9 (3.30)	119.2 (4.69)	138.8 (5.46)	91.5 (3.60)	82.1 (3.23)	91.9 (3.62)	103.8 (4.09)	135.5 (5.33)	103.2 (4.06)	51.2 (2.02)	1,032.7 (40.66)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	8	10	15	19	23	22	22	21	20	22	19	13	206
Average relative humidity (%)	81	80	82	85	87	87	86	85	85	85	86	83	84
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales