Boavita

Boavita is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the subregion of the Northern Boyacá Province. The urban centre of Boavita is situated in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes at an altitude of 2,114 metres (6,936 ft) and a distance of 184 kilometres (114 mi) from the department capital Tunja. The municipality borders Capitanejo, Santander, and the Nevado River in the north, San Mateo and La Uvita in the east, Tipacoque and Soatá in the west and Susacón in the south.^[1]

Boavita
Municipality and town
Church of Boavita
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town of Boavita in the Boyacá department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Northern Boyacá Province
Founded	9 February 1613
Government
• Mayor	Fabio Figueroa Jiménez (2020-2023)
Area
• Municipality and town	159 km2 (61 sq mi)
Elevation	2,114 m (6,936 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Municipality and town	7,079
• Density	45/km2 (120/sq mi)
• Urban	2,929
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

Etymology

The name of Boavita is derived from Chibcha and doesn't mean "good life", yet "Point on the hill worshipping the Sun" or "Gate of the Sun".^[1][2]

History

The area of modern Boavita in the times before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca was inhabited by a tribe called "Guavitas", pertaining to the Laches and Muisca. It was ruled by a cacique who was loyal to the Tundama of Tundama.^[1]

Modern Boavita was founded on February 9, 1613, by Sr. Hugarte.^[1]

Economy

Main economical activities of Boavita are agriculture, livestock farming and mining. Main agricultural products cultivated are dates, sugarcane, yuca, coffee, cotton, potatoes, maize, chick peas, beans, peas, wheat and arracacha. The mining activities exist of carbon exploitation.^[1]

Climate

Boavita has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cfb)^[3] with moderate temperatures throughout the year.

Climate data for Boavita, elevation 2,150 m (7,050 ft), (1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	25.3 (77.5)	25.6 (78.1)	25.2 (77.4)	24.0 (75.2)	23.4 (74.1)	23.2 (73.8)	23.5 (74.3)	23.9 (75.0)	23.9 (75.0)	23.3 (73.9)	23.2 (73.8)	24.1 (75.4)	24 (75)
Daily mean °C (°F)	17.9 (64.2)	18.0 (64.4)	18.1 (64.6)	17.5 (63.5)	17.1 (62.8)	17.1 (62.8)	16.9 (62.4)	17.2 (63.0)	17.1 (62.8)	16.9 (62.4)	17.1 (62.8)	17.4 (63.3)	17.4 (63.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	10.7 (51.3)	11.1 (52.0)	11.6 (52.9)	12.2 (54.0)	12.2 (54.0)	11.7 (53.1)	11.2 (52.2)	11.3 (52.3)	11.2 (52.2)	11.7 (53.1)	11.8 (53.2)	11.1 (52.0)	11.5 (52.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	43.0 (1.69)	66.6 (2.62)	102.4 (4.03)	191.5 (7.54)	166.2 (6.54)	81.5 (3.21)	61.0 (2.40)	76.1 (3.00)	110.6 (4.35)	180.3 (7.10)	139.4 (5.49)	62.9 (2.48)	1,281.5 (50.45)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	7	10	13	20	21	17	17	16	18	22	19	12	193
Average relative humidity (%)	71	71	73	79	81	79	77	75	77	80	80	77	77
Mean monthly sunshine hours	241.8	197.6	186.0	141.0	133.3	141.0	161.2	158.1	147.0	155.0	171.0	210.8	2,043.8
Mean daily sunshine hours	7.8	7.0	6.0	4.7	4.3	4.7	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.0	5.7	6.8	5.6
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales[4]

Gallery

Panorama of Boavita

• 
  Church of Boavita
• 
  Church with Christmas
• 
  Colonial house
• 
  Outside the urban centre

References

1. (in Spanish) Official website Boavita
2. (in Spanish) Etymology Boavita - Excelsio.net
3. "Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria". Nature: Scientific Data. 23 October 2023.
4. "Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010" (in Spanish). Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2024.

6°20′N 72°35′W