Soatá, Boyacá

Soatá is a town and municipality in Boyacá Department, Colombia. Soatá is located on the western slopes of the Cordillera Oriental mountain range, at the northeast end of the Department of Boyacá. It is the capital the subregion of the Northern Boyacá Province.

History

The Soatá term in Chibcha language means farming of the sun. Its inhabitants came from the mix of chibchas, Caribbean and choques. Soatá was founded by sergeant Juan Rodriguez Parra in 1545 and established as municipality the 10 of December of 1495.

Demographics and Geography

Soatá has a population of approximately 8.730 (General Census 2005 DANE) on who 63% live in the urban zone and 47% live in the eight paths that compose the Rural area. Its inhabitants in their majority are rural men. Its paths are: Los Molinos, La Laguna, Llano Grande, El Espinal, La Chorrera and La Costa. It has an elevation of 1.950 meters above sea level.

Economy

Its economy is of subsistence and it characterizes by agriculture and the cattle ranch in form of minifundios, standing out the cultures of the sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, tomato, maize, wheat, barley, Pope, fruit trees, datil's and flowers.