Socotá

Socotá is a town and municipality in the Valderrama Province, part of the Colombian department of Boyacá. The municipality is situated in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The urban centre is at an altitude of 2,443 metres (8,015 ft) at a distance of 134 kilometres (83 mi) from the department capital Tunja. It borders Jericó and Sativanorte in the north, Pisba and Mongua in the south, Chita and Támara, Casanare in the east and Sativasur, Tasco, Socha and Gámeza in the west.^[1]

Socotá
Municipality and town
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town of Socotá in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Valderrama Province
Founded	19 January 1602
Founded by	Gonzalo Sánchez de Flandes
Government
• Mayor	William Eusebio Correa Durán (2020-2023)
Area
• Municipality and town	600.11 km2 (231.70 sq mi)
• Urban	1 km2 (0.4 sq mi)
Elevation	2,443 m (8,015 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Municipality and town	9,812
• Density	16/km2 (42/sq mi)
• Urban	1,095
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

Etymology

The name Socotá comes from Chibcha and means either "Land of the Sun and farmfields" or "Good harvest".^[2]

History

Before the Spanish conquest, Socotá was the northeasternmost part of the loose Muisca Confederation. It was ruled either by the iraca of Sugamuxi or by the Tundama based in Tundama.^[2]

Modern Socotá was founded on January 19, 1602 by Gonzalo Sanchez de Flandes.^[1]

Economy

Main economic activity of Socotá is livestock farming and on a minor scale coal mining.^[1]

Named after Socotá

• Socotá Formation, Lower Cretaceous sandstone and shale formation

Climate

Climate data for Socotá (Cardon El), elevation 3,590 m (11,780 ft), (1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	10.8 (51.4)	10.8 (51.4)	10.7 (51.3)	9.8 (49.6)	9.5 (49.1)	8.6 (47.5)	8.0 (46.4)	8.1 (46.6)	8.5 (47.3)	9.2 (48.6)	10.0 (50.0)	10.6 (51.1)	9.5 (49.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	6.6 (43.9)	6.5 (43.7)	6.6 (43.9)	6.6 (43.9)	6.5 (43.7)	5.9 (42.6)	5.4 (41.7)	5.4 (41.7)	5.7 (42.3)	6.2 (43.2)	6.6 (43.9)	6.6 (43.9)	6.2 (43.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	2.9 (37.2)	3.0 (37.4)	3.5 (38.3)	4.1 (39.4)	4.0 (39.2)	3.5 (38.3)	3.1 (37.6)	3.2 (37.8)	3.3 (37.9)	3.6 (38.5)	3.7 (38.7)	3.1 (37.6)	3.4 (38.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	33.3 (1.31)	60.6 (2.39)	89.0 (3.50)	207.7 (8.18)	301.1 (11.85)	379.7 (14.95)	446.0 (17.56)	367.7 (14.48)	251.8 (9.91)	196.8 (7.75)	114.9 (4.52)	61.0 (2.40)	2,509.5 (98.80)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	9	13	18	24	27	28	29	30	28	27	22	15	266
Average relative humidity (%)	87	87	90	95	96	97	97	97	96	94	93	89	93
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales[3]