Betéitiva

Betéitiva
Municipality and town
Chapel of Betéitiva
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Beteitiva in the Boyacá department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Valderrama Province
Founded	14 October 1556
Founded by	Juan Salamanca
Government
• Mayor	Luís Enrique Gil (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	123 km2 (47 sq mi)
• Urban	6 km2 (2 sq mi)
Elevation	2,575 m (8,448 ft)
Population (2015)
• Municipality and town	2,069
• Density	17/km2 (44/sq mi)
• Urban	389
Time zone	Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website	Official website

Betéitiva (Spanish pronunciation: [beˈteitiβa]) a town and municipality in the Valderrama Province, part of the Colombian department of Boyacá. The urban centre of Betétiva is situated at 250 kilometres (160 mi) from the capital Bogotá, 110 kilometres (68 mi) from the department capital Tunja and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Sogamoso. The municipality, located on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, borders in the north Belén, in the northeast Paz de Río, in the east Tasco, in the southeast Corrales and in the west with Busbanzá and Cerinza.

The name Betéitiva is derived from the Chibcha name of the cacique Betacín of the village and means "chief of the anchovy". According to Muisca myths, Betacín fell in love with the daughter of the iraca of Sugamuxi and after her dismissal he retreated in the area now known as Betéitiva.

The area of Betéitiva before the Spanish conquest was inhabited by the Muisca, organized in their loose Muisca Confederation. Different rulers were reigning the central highlands of the Colombian Andes and Betéitiva was ruled by cacique Betacín.