Soacha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Soacha
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Bike path in Soacha
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Location of Soacha in Cundinamarca
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 Soacha
Location in Colombia
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Department |  Cundinamarca |
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| Province | Soacha | ||
| Founded | 15 August 1600 | ||
| Founded by | Luis Enríquez | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Municipality | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality | 187.4 km2 (72.4 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 31.48 km2 (12.15 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 2,565 m (8,415 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018 census)
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| • Municipality | 660,179 | ||
| • Density | 3,522.8/km2 (9,124.1/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 655,025 | ||
| • Urban density | 20,808/km2 (53,892/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Suachuno | ||
| Area code(s) | 57 + 1 | ||
| Website | Official website: http://www.soacha-cundinamarca.gov.co/index.shtml | ||
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Soacha is an important city in the department of Cundinamarca in Colombia. It is an independent municipality but is also part of the larger Metropolitan Area of Bogotá. Soacha has a big industrial area and is home to many working families.
The city shares its borders with Bojacá and Mosquera to the north. To the south, it borders Sibaté and Pasca. The capital city, Bogotá, is to its east, and to the west are Granada and San Antonio del Tequendama.
Contents
Soacha's Population
Soacha is a very populated city. With about 778,400 people in 2023, it is the largest city in Cundinamarca. It is also one of the biggest cities in all of Colombia.
What Does the Name Soacha Mean?
The name Soacha comes from the ancient Chibcha language. In this language, Súa means "Sun god," and chá means "man." So, Soacha means "Man of the Sun." The original name was Suecha, but it changed to Soacha over time.
Soacha's History
Long ago, Soacha was first home to native groups during the Herrera Period. Later, it became an important village in the Muisca Confederation. This was a country ruled by the Muisca people before the Spanish arrived. The zipa (leader) of Bacatá, which is now Bogotá, was in charge of Soacha.
Modern Soacha was officially started on August 15, 1600. The city became well-known for a sad event on August 18, 1989. A political leader named Luis Carlos Galán was visiting Soacha during his campaign to become President of Colombia when he was killed.
Also in 1989, a plane called Avianca Flight 203 crashed in Soacha after an explosion. Everyone on board died, along with three people on the ground in Soacha. This event was linked to a criminal group that wanted to harm another political leader, César Gaviria. Luckily, Gaviria was not on the plane and later became President of Colombia.
In 2008, a serious problem called the "false positives" scandal came to light. Twenty-two young men from Soacha were tricked into thinking they had jobs. They were later found dead far away. It was discovered that military members had killed them and pretended they were enemy fighters. This was done to make it seem like they were winning battles. Similar sad cases have been found across Colombia.
Modern Growth in Soacha
A big project called Ciudad Verde (Green City) began in 2010. It was built to provide homes, parks, and playgrounds for middle-class families in Soacha. This project was planned to be finished by the end of 2016.
Delicious Food in Soacha
Soacha has a special area called Soacha Parque. This place is famous for its traditional desserts. Some popular treats include almojabanas and buñuelos, which are types of bread. Soacha is also known for its delicious arequipe, which is a homemade version of dulce de leche (a sweet caramel spread).
The city is also home to the largest center for handling coffee in the world.
Famous People from Soacha
- Luz Marina Bernal (born 1960), a peace and human rights activist. She helped start the Mothers of Soacha group.
- Walter Pedraza, a professional cyclist.
Arts and Culture
Films
The movie Triple Frontier on Netflix has scenes related to Soacha.
Soacha's Climate
| Climate data for Soacha (San Jorge Gja), elevation 2,900 m (9,500 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) | 16.6 (61.9) |
17.0 (62.6) |
16.7 (62.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
16.1 (61.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.7 (53.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
11.8 (53.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) |
6.7 (44.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
7.5 (45.5) |
7.2 (45.0) |
7.1 (44.8) |
7.2 (45.0) |
6.8 (44.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
7.0 (44.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 23.1 (0.91) |
38.8 (1.53) |
61.8 (2.43) |
93.8 (3.69) |
98.1 (3.86) |
70.1 (2.76) |
63.4 (2.50) |
48.9 (1.93) |
52.8 (2.08) |
98.2 (3.87) |
86.1 (3.39) |
42.8 (1.69) |
778 (30.6) |
| Average precipitation days | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 171 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 167.4 | 144.0 | 133.3 | 117.0 | 133.3 | 144.0 | 164.3 | 164.3 | 150.0 | 130.2 | 123.0 | 155.0 | 1,725.8 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 5.4 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 4.7 |
| Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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Houses in Soacha
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Rincón de Santa Fe park
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Luis Carlos Galán Stadium
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Entrance to Ciudad Verde
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Logroño Park
Ciudad Verde -
Housing and playground Ciudad Verde
See also
In Spanish: Soacha para niños
