Cucaita

Municipality and town in Boyacá Department, Colombia

Flag

Seal

Location of the municipality and town of Cucaita in the Boyacá Department of Colombia

Country

ColombiaDepartmentBoyacá DepartmentProvinceCentral Boyacá ProvinceFounded12 August 1556Founded byJuan de Los BarriosGovernment

• MayorJosé Moisés Castillo Duarte
(2020-2023)Area

• Municipality and town43.58 km² (16.83 sq mi)Elevation

2,650 m (8,690 ft)Population

(2015)

• Municipality and town4,687 • Density110/km² (280/sq mi) • Urban

1,905Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)WebsiteOfficial website

Cucaita is a municipality in the Central Boyacá Province, part of Boyacá Department, Colombia. The urban centre is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at a distance of 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the department capital Tunja. Cucaita borders Sora in the north, Tunja in the east and south and Samacá in the south and west.^[1]

Etymology

The name Cucaita is derived from Chibcha and means either "Seminary enclosure" or "Shade of the farming fields".^[1]^[2]

History

The area of Cucaita in the times before the Spanish conquest was inhabited by the Muisca, organised in their loose Muisca Confederation. Cucaita was ruled by the zaque of nearby Hunza.

Modern Cucaita was founded on August 12, 1556 by friar Juan de Los Barrios.^[1]