Salento, Quindío
| Salento | |||
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| Municipality and town | |||
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| Nickname(s): "El Padre del Quindío" ("The Father of Quindío") | |||
 Location map of the municipality and town of Salento in the Department of Quindío. |
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| Country |
 Colombia
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| Department | Quindío | ||
| Founded | 5 January 1842 | ||
| Named for | Salento, Italy | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality and town | 377.67 km2 (145.82 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 0.55 km2 (0.21 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,895 m (6,217 ft) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| • Municipality and town | 7,247 | ||
| • Urban | 3,597 | ||
| • Rural | 3,650 | ||
| Time zone | GMT-5 (UTC-5) | ||
| Website | http://www.salento-quindio.gov.co | ||
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Salento is a town and municipality in the north-east of the department of Quindío, Colombia. The municipality covers an area of 377.67 km2. It was the first settlement in Quindío of the modern era, and the first municipality founded in the department. The town of Salento itself is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. In 2005 the municipality of Salento had an estimated population of 7247, of which 3597 lived in the main urban zone.
The main route from Popayán and Cali to Bogotá used to pass through Salento (see below), but when the route was diverted the town became isolated and did not develop as rapidly as the rest of the region. For this reason it has retained more of its traditional colonial architecture than almost any other town in the eje cafetero, along with a quiet and relaxed way of life, and as a result the town and nearby Cocora valley are among the most popular tourist destinations in Colombia.
The municipality of Salento is located in the north-eastern corner of the department of Quindío. It borders the municipalities of Filandia and Circasia to the west, Armenia and Calarcá to the south-west, the department of Tolima to the east, and the department of Risaralda to the north. Its geography is varied, rising from around 1300 m in the fertile valleys of the west of the municipality to the permanently snow-capped summit of the Nevado del Quindío, which at 4750 m is the highest point of the department of Quindío.
The town of Salento itself lies on a plateau above the Quindío river valley. The section of the river valley from Salento to the head of the river is known as the Cocora valley. The town is located at an average altitude of 1895 meters above sea level, with steep drops to the valley floor at its northern and western perimeters.
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