Bogotá, Distrito Capital

Bogotá
Capital city
Bogotá, D.C.
From the top: Central Bogota skyline; La Candelaria; Torre Colpatria; National Capitol in Bolívar Square; Gold museum
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "La Atenas Suramericana" ("The South American Athens") "Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad " ("Most Noble and Most Loyal City")
Motto: "Bogotá Mejor Para Todos" ("A Better Bogotá For All", 2016–2019)
Bogotá Show map of Colombia Bogotá Show map of South America Location in Colombia and South America
Coordinates: 4°42′40″N 74°4′20″W / 4.71111°N 74.07222°W / 4.71111; -74.07222Coordinates: 4°42′40″N 74°4′20″W / 4.71111°N 74.07222°W / 4.71111; -74.07222
Country	Colombia
Department	Capital District Cundinamarca (see text)
Founded	6 August 1538 (traditional)
Founded by	Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
Government
• Mayor	Enrique Peñalosa (2016–2019)
Area
• Capital city	1,587 km2 (613 sq mi)
• Urban	307.36 km2 (118.67 sq mi)
Area rank	32nd
Elevation	2,640 m (8,660 ft)
Population (2017)
• Capital city	8,080,734
• Rank	1st
• Metro	10,700,000
Demonym(s)	Rolo, Cachaco, Bogotan bogotano, -na (es)
Postal code	11XXXX
Area code(s)	+57 1
HDI (2010)	0.965very high
GDP (PPP) (2014)	USD 160 billion
GDP (PPP) per capita (2014)	USD 17,500
Website	City Official Site Bogotá Tourism (in Spanish)

Nickname(s): "La Atenas Suramericana"
("The South American Athens")

Bogotá (/ˈboʊɡəˌtɑː/, /ˌbɒɡəˈtɑː/, /ˌboʊɡəˈtɑː/; Spanish pronunciation: [boɣoˈta]), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C. (during the time of Spanish rule, and also from 1991 to 2000, called Santa Fé de Bogotá) is the capital and largest city of Colombia administered as the Capital District, although often thought of as part of Cundinamarca. Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the political, economic, administrative, industrial, artistic, cultural, and sports center of the country.

Bogotá was founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada on August 6, 1538, by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada after a harsh expedition into the Andes conquering the Muisca. The Muisca were the indigenous inhabitants of the region and called the settlement where Bogotá was founded Bacatá. After the Battle of Boyacá on August 7, 1819, Bogotá became the capital of the independent nation of Gran Colombia. Since the Viceroyalty of New Granada's independence from the Spanish Empire and during the formation of present-day Colombia, Bogotá remained the capital of this territory.