| Duitama | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Duitama Center | |||
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| Nickname(s): Perla de Boyaca (The Pearl of Boyaca) | |||
| Location of the town and municipality of Duitama in Boyacá Department. | |||
| Country | Colombia | ||
| Department | Boyacá | ||
| Province | Tundama Province | ||
| Founded | 1556 - 1775 (Doctrinal Center) | ||
| Established | July 27, 1819 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Municipality | ||
| • Mayor | Francklyn Alfredo Rincon Galvis [1] | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 186 km2 (71.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 2,530 m (8,301 ft) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| • Total | 120,000 | ||
| • Density | 645.1/km2 (1,670.8/sq mi) | ||
| *Census of the population in Duitama[2] | |||
| Website | http://www.duitama.gov.co | ||
Duitama (Spanish pronunciation: [dwiˈtama]) is a city and municipality in Boyacá Department, part of the Tundama Province, a subregion of Boyaca, Colombia. It is located some 170 kilometres northeast of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia and 55 kilometres northest of Tunja, the capital city of Boyaca. Duitama has existed since pre-Columbian times. According to the local oral tradition, the city was founded by the Muisca Chief Tundama. The city has a population of about 120,000 people. The elevation of the city is around 2,532 m above sea level and the average temperature is 18°C (65°F). Duitama is known as "The Pearl of Boyacá".
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Pre-Columbian
The same as the European countries, the muiscas had an established political society[3]; they also had religious beliefs, and an established economic system.
Before the discovery of America, Tundama (Duitama) was governed by the cacique Tundama. Nemequene (the Zaque) was the leader of the "north" and his establishment was Hunza (Tunja). Though the Zaque was considered the king of the north (where Duitama is located), he did not have absolute control over the population. He was, however, considered a person of great power and a holy man.
Duitama was the second city in Latin America to host the UCI Road World Championships. The first city to host that event was San Cristobal, Venezuela in 1977.