Lenguazaque
Municipality and town
CountryColombia
DepartmentCundinamarca
ProvinceUbaté Province
MayorCamilo Andrés Lara Gómez
(2016-2019)
Founded13 March 1537
FounderGonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
Area total153.6 km²
Population as of2015
Population total10268
Population urban2282
Coordinates5°18′25″N 73°42′22″W
Time zoneColombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Elevation2589 m
WebsiteOfficial website

Lenguazaque is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. Lenguazaque is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, part of the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes at a distance of 116 kilometres (72 mi) from the capital Bogotá.[1] It borders Guachetá in the north, Ubaté in the west, Cucunubá in the south and Villapinzón in the east.

History

In the time of the Muisca Confederation, before the Spanish conquest, Lenguazaque was ruled by the zaque of Hunza, currently known as Tunja, Boyacá. Modern Lenguazaque was founded by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada early on in his conquest of the central highlands of Colombia, on March 13, 1537.[1]

Lenguazaque in the Chibcha language of the Muisca means "end of the reign of the zaque".[1]

Economy

The main economic activity in Lenguazaque is coal mining. Also agriculture is executed, predominantly potatoes and to a lesser extent peas, maize, barley and wheat.[1]

References

  1. ^ (in Spanish) Official website Lenguazaque Archived 2015-05-22 at archive.today - accessed 07-05-2016