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Bogotá

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Bogotá is the capital and largest city of Colombia.

Capital District in Colombia (mainland)
Capital District in Colombia (mainland)

It sits right in the center of the country. The city is located on a high, flat plateau called the Bogotá savanna.

Sabana de Bogota
Sabana de Bogota

This land is part of the Andes mountains. It is specifically in the Eastern Cordillera. Because the city is so high up, the weather stays cool all year long. In fact, it is the third highest capital city in the whole world. The city covers a large area of 1,587 square kilometers.

Bogota as seen from Montserrat
Bogota as seen from Montserrat

Long ago, the Muisca people lived on this high plain. They were part of a great civilization in the Americas. The Muisca people were famous for trading salt and gold.

Museo Del Oro, Bogota (25094844355)
Museo Del Oro, Bogota (25094844355)

They even had a complex calendar to track the sun and moon. Women in their society were especially known for making salt from brines. They also grew maize on large, watered terraces. This maize was used to make a drink called chicha. This drink is still sold in the city today. The Muisca people lived in many small settlements called bohíos.

Spanish explorers arrived in the region in the 1530s. A man named Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada led a difficult expedition into the Andes. He arrived in the Muisca territory in March 1537. After this, he decided to build a camp in the area. He founded the city on 6 August 1538.

San victorino 1824 (Roulin, François Désiré)
San victorino 1824 (Roulin, François Désiré)

At first, the city was called Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza. Later, the Spanish crown gave it the name Santafé. After the Battle of Boyacá in 1819, the city became the capital of Gran Colombia. Simón Bolívar later gave it the name Bogotá to honor the Muisca people.

Today, Bogotá is the main center for many important things. It is the heart of politics, business, and culture for northern South America. The city is home to the President and the Congress. It also has many big banks and many global companies.

Bogota Centro Internacional Latam Business Hub
Bogota Centro Internacional Latam Business Hub

The city is very important for money, making up 24.7% of the nation's total. It also has the most universities and research centers in the country. There are over 1,000 libraries and many museums for people to visit.

Museo-Iglesia Santa Clara, Bogotá
Museo-Iglesia Santa Clara, Bogotá

Traveling in and out of Bogotá is very busy. The city has a huge airport called El Dorado International Airport.

Aeropuerto Bogotá
Aeropuerto Bogotá

It is named after a famous mythical place. This airport carries more cargo than any other in Latin America. It is also third in the number of passengers it serves. Inside the city, people use many different ways to get around. You can see many streets laid out in a neat grid.

How-Bogota-Streets-are-Numbered-and-Named
How-Bogota-Streets-are-Numbered-and-Named

This makes the city a very important hub for the whole region.

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🖼️ Images & Media (41)
File:Sabana de Bogota.png
Sabana de Bogota.png
File:Flag_of_Bogotá_(Without_coat_of_arms).svg
Flag_of_Bogotá_(Without_coat_of_arms).svg
File:Museo Del Oro, Bogota (25094844355).jpg
Museo Del Oro, Bogota (25094844355).jpg
File:CatedralPrimadaBogota2004-7.jpg
CatedralPrimadaBogota2004-7.jpg
File:Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, Plaza de Bolívar.jpg
Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, Plaza de...
File:Museo-Iglesia Santa Clara, Bogotá.JPG
Museo-Iglesia Santa Clara, Bogotá.JPG
File:San victorino 1824 (Roulin, François Désiré).JPG
San victorino 1824 (Roulin, François Désiré).JPG
File:Calle real de Bogotá en 1869 dibujo de Therond.jpg
Calle real de Bogotá en 1869 dibujo de Therond.jpg
File:Estación de la Sabana 2010 retusche.jpg
Estación de la Sabana 2010 retusche.jpg
File:Bogotazo.jpg
Bogotazo.jpg
File:Centro internacional.JPG
Centro internacional.JPG
File:Bogota Centro Internacional Latam Business Hub.jpg
Bogota Centro Internacional Latam Business Hub.jpg

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