Macanal | ||
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Municipality and town | ||
Church of Macanal
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Location of the municipality and town of Macanal in the Boyacá Department of Colombia |
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Country | Colombia | |
Department | Boyacá Department | |
Province | Neira Province | |
Founded | 4 May 1807 | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Nabor Felipe Londoño Gordillo (2016-2019) |
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Area | ||
• Municipality and town | 199.5 km2 (77.0 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 1,680.3 m (5,512.8 ft) | |
Population (2015) | ||
• Municipality and town | 4,821 | |
• Density | 24/km2 (63/sq mi) | |
• Urban | 1,108 | |
Time zone | Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5) | |
Website | Official website |
Macanal is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the subregion of the Neira Province. The urban centre is located in the Tenza Valley in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes at an altitude of 1,680.3 metres (5,513 ft) but parts of the municipality reach altitudes of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). It borders Campohermoso in the east, Almeida in the west, Garagoa in the north and in the south Santa María and Chivor.
The name Macanal is either derived from the Chibcha word Macana, meaning garrote, or from the Macana palm tree.
The area of Macanal was part of the Muisca Confederation, a loose confederation of different rulers of the Muisca. The zaque of Hunza ruled over Macanal.
Modern Macanal was founded on May 4, 1807.
The Macanal Formation, an organic shale, outcrops near and has been named after Macanal.
Main economical activities of Macanal are agriculture; coffee (Coffea arabica), bananas, maize, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), yuca, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza), avocadoes, papayas, mangoes, guayaba and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus and Cyclanthera pedata), farming and mining (gypsum and emeralds).