Sutatenza

Municipality and town in Boyacá Department, Colombia

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

Country

ColombiaDepartmentBoyacá DepartmentProvinceEastern Boyacá ProvinceFounded22 October 1783Government

• MayorOscar Yovany Montenegro Salcedo
(2020-2023)Area

• Municipality and town41.26 km² (15.93 sq mi)Elevation

1,890 m (6,200 ft)Population

(2015)

• Municipality and town4,086 • Density99/km² (260/sq mi) • Urban

769Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)WebsiteOfficial website

Sutatenza (Spanish pronunciation: [sutaˈtensa]) is a town and municipality in the Eastern Boyacá Province of the department of Boyacá, Colombia. It is located 125 kilometres (78 mi) from the Colombian capital Bogotá and 118 kilometres (73 mi) from the department capital Tunja. Sutatenza borders Somondoco, Guateque, Tenza and Garagoa.^[1]

Etymology

The name Sutatenza comes from Chibcha and means either "Cloud behind the anchovy" or "Descending to the house of the cacique".^[1]^[2]

History

In the time before the Spanish conquest, Sutatenza, situated in the Tenza Valley to the east of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, was ruled by a cacique called Tenzuzucá or Tenzucá, loyal to the zaque of Hunza. Conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada in his quest for El Dorado and the rich emerald deposits of the Muisca Confederation visited Sutatenza in 1537.

Modern Sutatenza was not founded until October 22, 1783.^[1]

Climate

Sutatenza has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cfb)^[3] with mild temperatures and frequent rainfall. A dry season between December and February produces warmer and drier weather.

Climate data for Sutatenza (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24.7 (76.5)	24.91 (76.84)	24.35 (75.83)	23.47 (74.25)	22.9 (73.2)	21.76 (71.17)	21.26 (70.27)	21.75 (71.15)	23.06 (73.51)	23.7 (74.7)	24.07 (75.33)	24.32 (75.78)	23.35 (74.03)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	13.49 (56.28)	14.0 (57.2)	14.7 (58.5)	14.85 (58.73)	14.66 (58.39)	14.17 (57.51)	13.7 (56.7)	13.65 (56.57)	13.6 (56.5)	13.92 (57.06)	14.29 (57.72)	13.85 (56.93)	14.07 (57.33)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	20.39 (0.80)	26.54 (1.04)	61.14 (2.41)	123.34 (4.86)	170.72 (6.72)	185.18 (7.29)	186.83 (7.36)	152.56 (6.01)	108.43 (4.27)	98.44 (3.88)	81.65 (3.21)	22.83 (0.90)	1,238.06 (48.74)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	4.34	5.11	10.33	16.61	20.87	22.17	22.74	19.84	15.35	13.66	12.0	5.42	168.43
Source: NOAA^[4]

Economy

Main economical activities of Sutatenza are agriculture and aviculture. A small salt mine is operated in the vereda Salitre.^[1]

Gallery

Monument to the farmers
Ox market

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d (in Spanish) Official website Sutatenza
^ (in Spanish) Etymology Sutatenza - Excelsio.net
^ "Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria". Nature: Scientific Data. 23 October 2023.
^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Sutatenza". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 26, 2024.