Tabio

Location of the town and municipality of Tabio in Cundinamarca Department.

Tabio is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. It is located at 45 km (28 mi) from Bogotá. The population was 20,714 at 2005. The town was officially founded April 8, 1603, by Diego Gómez de Mena, on grounds that were the property of the native muisca people who inhabited the area.

History

The name Tabio comes from the Chibcha word “Teib,” meaning “dent” or “hole,” and which referred to its geographical location, next to the mouth of the Rio Frio river (also called Sinca). Muisca people occupied the current location of Tabio before the Spanish conquest, and were largely devoted to agriculture. The Muisca tribe comprised two confederations of small tribes, the Hunza of the northern area, whose sovereign was called Zaque, and the Bacatá of the southern area, whose sovereign was the Zipa, and which included the territory of Tabio.

The natural hot springs in Tabio were famous among the muisca people, and they were said to have a temple there devoted to the Goddess of Waters. Under the Spanish conquest, the native muisca were expropriated and the area was put under a colonial rule that issued the foundation of Tabio in 1603.

Economy

Secondary and tertiary economic sectors are relatively underdeveloped in Tabio. Main industrial crops are devoted to floriculture. Potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots are also cultivated.

Tourism

Tabio is well known for its natural hot springs, which are said to have therapeutic properties. It is also known for the annual festival of Torbellino, a traditional Andean Colombian dance.

External links

• Official web site.

v t e Provinces and Municipalities in Cundinamarca department Almeidas Province Chocontá Machetá Manta Sesquilé Suesca Tibiritá Villapinzón Upper Magdalena Province Agua de Dios Girardot Guataqui Jerusalen Nariño Nilo Ricaurte Tocaima Lower Magdalena Province Caparrapí Guaduas Puerto Salgar Gualivá Province Albán La Peña La Vega Nimaima Nocaima Quebradanegra San Francisco Sasaima Supatá Útica Vergara Villeta Guavio Province Gachala Gacheta Gama Guasca Guatavita Junín La Calera Ubalá Central Magdalena Province Beltrán Bituima Chaguani Guayabal de Síquima Puli San Juan Rioseco Viani Medina Province Medina Paratebueno Eastern Province Caqueza Chipaque Choachí Fomeque Fosca Guayabetal Gutierrez Quetame Ubaque Une Rionegro Province El Peñón La Palma Pacho Paime San Cayetano Topaipí Villagómez Yacopí Central Savanna Province Cajicá Chía Cogua Cota Gachancipá Nemocón Sopó Tabio Tenjo Tocancipá Zipaquirá Western Savanna Province Bojacá El Rosal Facatativá Funza Madrid Mosquera Subachoque Zipacón Soacha Province Sibaté Soacha Sumapaz Province Arbeláez Cabrera Fusagasugá Granada Pandi Pasca San Bernardo Silvania Tibacuy Venecia Tequendama Province Anapoima Anolaima Apulo Cachipay El Colegio La Mesa Quipile San Antonio del Tequendama Tena Viotá Ubaté Province Carmen de Carupa Cucunubá Fúquene Guachetá Lenguazaque Simijacá Susa Sutatausa Tausa Ubaté Metropolitan Area of Bogotá Bogotá, Capital District See also: List of municipalities in Cundinamarca

Coordinates: 4°55′N 74°06′W / 4.917°N 74.100°W / 4.917; -74.100