Bogotá
"International Center of Bogota"
Flag Seal
Motto: Bogotá, 2600 metros más cerca de las estrellas Bogotá, 2600 meters closer to the stars
Localities (localidades) of Bogotá
Country	Colombia
Department	Bogotá, D. The Coat of arms of Bogotá is the official Coat of arms of the Capital District of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Colombia is a unitary republic conformed by thirty-two departments ( Spanish: departamentos, sing C. *
Foundation	August 6, 1538
Government
- Mayor	Samuel Moreno Rojas, PDA
Area
- City	1,587 km² (612. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Samuel Gustavo Moreno Rojas (Born February 11, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is a Colombian American Politician, son of former The Alternative Democratic Pole ( Sp: Polo Democrático Alternativo or PDA) is a political alliance in Colombia, formed by the Independent Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 7 sq mi)
- Land	1,731. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 9 km² (668. 7 sq mi)
Elevation	2,640 m (8,661 ft)
Population (2007 census estimate) [1]
- City	7,033,914Ranked 1
- Density	3,914/km² (10,137. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. List of Colombian Departments by population details population of the Departments of Colombia according to a general census taken on 2005 by the Departamento Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 1/sq mi)
- Metro	10,244,480
HDI (2006)	0. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 830 – high
*Bogotá is physically within and is the capital of Cundinamarca Department, but as the Capital District is treated as its own department.
Website: City Official Site Mayor Official Site Bogotá Tourism

Bogotá—officially named Bogotá, D. C. (D. C. for "Distrito Capital", which means "Capital District"), formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá, is the capital city of Colombia, as well as the most populous city in the country, with 7,033,914 inhabitants (2007). Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Bogotá and its metropolitan area, which includes municipalities such as Chía, Cota, Soacha, Cajicá and La Calera, had an estimated population of 8,244,980^[1] as of 2007. Chía is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, located to the north of Bogotá on the main road to Zipaquira Cota is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. Soacha is a city and Municipality in Colombia on the southern edge of Bogotá, the country's capital Cajicá is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. Bogotá's altitude makes it the third-highest major city in the world after La Paz and Quito. Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Quito, officially San Francisco de Quito, is the Capital of Ecuador in northwestern South America. In terms of land area, the city of Bogota is the largest in Colombia.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Flag 1.2 Coat of arms 1.3 Anthem 2 Geography 2.1 Divisions 2.2 Location 2.3 Climate 2.4 Urban layout and nomenclature 3 Demographics 4 Crime 5 Government 6 Economy 7 Utilities 8 Transportation 8.1 Airports 8.2 Bus terminals 8.3 TransMilenio 8.4 Bike paths network 8.5 Tourist train 9 Colleges and universities 10 Parks and recreation 11 Sister cities 12 References 13 Gallery 14 See also 15 External links

History

Main article: History of Bogotá

Bogotá was originally called "Bacatá" (which means “planted fields”) by the Muiscas. The History of Bogotá refers to the History surrounding the Colombian capital city of Bogotá. Muisca refers to a nation of the Chibchan Culture that formed the Muisca Confederation encountered by the Spanish at the time of the conquest of what is now part ^[2] It was the center of their civilization before the Spanish explorers colonized the area, and it sustained a large population. This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador The European settlement was founded in August 6, 1538 by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and was named "Santa Fé de Bacatá" after his birthplace Santa Fé and the local name. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada (1509&ndash1579 was a Spanish explorer and Conquistador in Colombia. "Bacatá" had become the modern "Bogotá" by the time it was made the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada, which was then part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, and later of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. The New Kingdom of Granada (Nuevo Reino de Granada was the name given to a group of 16th century Spanish colonial provinces in northern South America governed Created in 1542 the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled The Viceroyalty of New Granada (Virreinato de la Nueva Granada was the name given on May 27, 1717 to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South America The city soon became one of the centers of Spanish colonial power and civilization in South America.

In 1810-11 its citizens revolted against Spanish rule and set up a government of their own, but had to contend with internal divisions and the temporary return to power of Spanish military loyalists who retook the city in 1816. In 1819 Simón Bolívar recaptured it after his victory at Boyacá. Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndash The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy Bogotá was then made the capital of Gran Colombia, a federation combining the territories of modern Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Gran Colombia ( Spanish for Great Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831 When Gran Colombia was broken up, Bogotá remained the capital of New Granada, which later became the Republic of Colombia. See History of Colombia. See also History of South America, History of present-day nations and states The History of Colombia has been characterized by the interaction of

In 1956 the municipality was joined to other neighboring municipalities forming a "Special District" (Spanish: Distrito Especial). The Constitution of 1991 confirmed Bogotá as the Capital of Colombia, gave it the name "Santa Fe de Bogotá", and changed the category from Special District to "Capital District" (Distrito Capital).

In August 2000 the name was officially changed back to simply "Bogotá". The local government consists of a Capital District. Samuel Moreno Rojas was elected Mayor of Bogotá for the period 2008-2011. Samuel Gustavo Moreno Rojas (Born February 11, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is a Colombian American Politician, son of former This is a list of mayors of Bogotá since 1910 Municipal Mayors of Bogotá (1910-1954 1910-1911 Javier Tobar Ahumada 1911-1913 Manuel María

Flag

The flag originates from the insurgency movement against the colonial authorities which began on July 20, 1810, during which the rebels wore armbands with yellow and red bands, as these colours were those of the Spanish flag used as the flag for the New Kingdom of Granada. Primary Cathedral of Bogotá is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located at Bolívar Square in Bogotá D Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

In October 9, 1952, exactly 142 years after these events, decree 555 of 1952 officially adopted the patriotic armband as the flag of Bogotá. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The flag of Cundinamarca follows the same pattern, plus a light blue tile which represents the Virgin Mary's cape.

The flag itself is a yellow band above a red one. The yellow denotes the gold from the earth, as well as the virtues of justice, clemency, benevolence, the so-called "mundane qualities" (defined as nobility, excellence, richness, generosity, splendour, health, steadfastness, joy and prosperity), long life, eternity, power and constancy. The red denotes the virtue of charity, as well as the qualities of bravery, nobility, values, audacity, victory, honour and furor, Colombians call it the blood of their people.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the city was granted by emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain) to the New Kingdom of Granada, by royal decree given in Valladolid, Spain on December 3, 1548. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was The New Kingdom of Granada (Nuevo Reino de Granada was the name given to a group of 16th century Spanish colonial provinces in northern South America governed ||-||} is an industrial city and it is a Municipality in north-central Spain, upon the Pisuerga River and within the Ribera del Duero wine-making region Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French It contains a black eagle in the center, which symbolises steadfastness. The eagle is also a symbol of the Habsburgs, which was the ruling family of the Spanish empire at the time. The eagle is crowned with gold and holds a red pomegranate inside a golden background. The pomegranate ( Punica granatum) is a Fruit -bearing Deciduous Shrub or small Tree growing to between five and eight metres tall The border contains olive branches with nine golden pomegranates in a blue background. The two red pomegranates symbolize audacity, and the nine golden ones represent the nine states which constituted the New Kingdom of Granada at the time.

In 1932 the coat of arms was officially recognized and adopted as the symbol of Bogotá.

Anthem

The words to the anthem of Bogotá were written by Pedro Medina Avendaño to music by Roberto Pineda Duque. The song was officially declared the anthem by decree 1000 of July 31, 1974, by then Mayor of Bogotá, Aníbal Fernandez de Soto. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. This is a list of mayors of Bogotá since 1910 Municipal Mayors of Bogotá (1910-1954 1910-1911 Javier Tobar Ahumada 1911-1913 Manuel María

Geography

Divisions

Bogotá, Capital District
Usaquén | Chapinero | Santa Fe | San Cristóbal | Usme Tunjuelito | Bosa | Kennedy | Fontibon | Engativá Suba | Barrios Unidos | Teusaquillo | Los Mártires | Antonio Nariño Puente Aranda | La Candelaria | Rafael Uribe Uribe | Ciudad Bolívar | Sumapaz

Location

Bogotá is located near the geographic center of Colombia, on the east of the Savannah of Bogotá (Sabana de Bogotá), 2640 meters (8661 feet) above sea level. General information Borders North: The municipality of Chía East: The municipality of La Calera South: The History Chapinero was a traditional stop between Bogotá and the municipalities to the north during the colonial period Santa Fe is the 3rd locality of Bogotá, Capital District of Colombia. General information Borders North: Santa Fe locality South: The locality of Usme. Usme is the 5th locality of the Capital District of Bogotá, capital city of Colombia. Tunjuelito is the 6th locality of the Capital District of the Colombian capital city Bogotá. Bosa is the 7th locality of the Capital District of the Colombian capital city Bogotá. General information Borders North: The Fucha river bordering the Fontibón locality Fontibon is a former Municipality located at the westernmost side of Bogotá, Colombia. Engativá, which translates to Chieftain of Inga, was a Municipality of Cundinamarca, but became a locality of Bogotá, Colombia Suba is the 11th locality of the Capital District of the Colombian capital city Bogotá. Barrios Unidos is the 12th locality of Bogotá, capital of Colombia. General information Area The total area of the locality is 14 General Information Borders North: Diagonal 22 and Avenida El Dorado, with the locality of Teusaquillo. General information Borders North: Autopista Sur, Calle 8 Sur and Avenida Primera with the localities of Puente Aranda and Los Mártires Puente Aranda is the 16th location of the Capital District of the Colombian capital city Bogotá. La Candelaria is a historic neighborhood in downtown Bogotá, Colombia. The Rafael Uribe Uribe is the 18th locality of the Capital District in the Colombian capital city Bogotá. Ciudad Bolívar is the 19th locality in the Capital District of the Colombian capital city Bogotá. History The area was an important pilgrimage site for the Muisca indigenous peoples in pre-Columbian times as the goddess Bachue was believed to be submerged Although "sabana", as it is popularly called, is literally "savannah", the geographical site is actually a high plateau in the Andes mountains. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting The extended region is also known as "Altiplano Cundiboyacense" which literally means "high plateau of Cundinamarca and Boyaca"

The Bogotá River crosses the 'sabana' forming Tequendama Falls to the south. The Altiplano Cundiboyacense is a set of highlands located on the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes between the departments of Cundinamarca The Bogotá The Tequendama Falls (Salto del Tequendama is a 132m high waterfall on the Bogotá River, located about 30 km southwest of Bogotá in the municipality of Tributary rivers form valleys with flourishing villages, whose economy is based on agriculture, livestock raising and artisanal production.

The 'sabana' is bordered to the east by the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes mountain range. The Cordillera Oriental is one of three main mountain ranges that divides the Cordillera in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. Surrounding hills, which limit city growth, run from south to north, parallel to the Guadalupe and Monserrate mountains. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. The western city limit is the Bogotá River. The Bogotá The Sumapaz paramo (moorland) borders the south and to the north Bogotá extends over the mentioned plateau up to the towns of Chía and Sopó. Paramo redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Paramo (genus. Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas characterised by low growing vegetation on Acidic soils Chía is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, located to the north of Bogotá on the main road to Zipaquira Sopo Archangels Sopó is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca.

Climate

The average temperature on the 'sabana' is 14. 0°C (57°F), varying from −8°C (18°F) to 28°C (82°F). Dry and rainy seasons alternate throughout the year. The driest months are December, January, February and March; the rainiest are April, May, September, October and November. June and July are usually rainy periods and August is sunny with high winds. Hailstorms are common during the rainy season, and can be very strong, specially in October.

Frost usually occurs in dry season. Frost is the solid deposition of Water vapor from saturated air During this period, the temperature falls below −4°C (24°F) at night and ascend to 25°C (77°F) in the day. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −8°C (17°F) inside the city and −10°C (14°F) in the nearby towns of the savanna. The highest temperature ever recorded was 28°C (82°F).

Climatic conditions are irregular and quite variable due to the El Niño and La Niña climatic phenomena, which occur in and around the Pacific basin and are responsible for very pronounced climatic changes. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon

Climate chart for Bogotá
J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
29. 0   16 6	44. 0   17 7	66. 0   17 8	101   16 9	93   16 9	54   16 8	43   15 8	46   15 7	72   16 7	107   16 8	91   16 8	53   16 6
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm source: World Weather Information Service
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     1. 1   62 42     1. 7   62 44     2. 6   62 46     4   61 47     3. 7   61 48     2. 1   60 47     1. 7   59 46     1. 8   60 45     2. 8   60 45     4. 2   61 46     3. 6   61 46     2. 1   61 43 temperatures in °F • precipitation totals in inches

Urban layout and nomenclature

Bogotá has over one thousand localities, forming an extensive network of neighborhoods. Areas of higher economic status tend to be located to the north and north-east, close to the foothills of the Eastern Cordillera. The Cordillera Oriental is one of three main mountain ranges that divides the Cordillera in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. Poorer neighborhoods are located to the south and south-east, many of them squatter areas. The middle classes usually inhabit the central, western and north-western sections of the city.

The urban layout in the center of the city is based on the focal point of a square or plaza, typical of Spanish-founded settlements, but the layout gradually becomes more modern in outlying neighborhoods. The current types of roads are classified as calles (streets), which run perpendicular to the Cordillera, with street numbers increasing towards the north, and also towards the south (with the suffix "Sur") from Calle 1. Carreras run parallel to the hills, with numbering increasing as one travels east or west of Carrera 1 (with the suffix "Este" for roads east of Carrera 1). Other types of roads more common in newer parts of the city may be termed "Eje" (Axis), "Diagonal" or "Transversal".

The numbering system for street addresses recently changed, and numbers are assigned according to street rank from main avenues to smaller avenues and local streets.

Some of Bogota's main roads, which also go by a proper name in addition to a number, are:

• Norte-Quito-Sur or N. Q. S. (North Quito South Avenue, from 9th road at north following railway to 30th road Avenue, or Quito City Avenue, and Southern Highway)
• Autopista Norte-Avenida Caracas (Northern Highway, or 45th road, joined to Caracas Avenue, or 14th road)
• 7th road Avenue (from downtown northward) and 10th road Avenue (from downtown southward)
• Avenida Circunvalar (from downtown following hillside on eastern hills going to La Calera)
• Calle 80 or Autopista Medellín (80th street)
• Avenida El Dorado (El Dorado Avenue, or 26th street)
• 13th street (from Avenida Jiménez,or Jiménez Avenue, westward to 13th street, going to Mosquera)
• Avenida de las Américas (Americas Avenue, from 34th street at east to 6th street at west)
• Avenida Primera de Mayo (May First Avenue, or 22th south street)
• Avenida Ciudad de Cali (Cali City Avenue, or 86th road)
• Avenida Boyacá (Boyacá Avenue, or 72th road)
• 100th street-68th road Avenue
• 170th street

Demographics

The largest and most populous city in Colombia, Bogotá has 7,881,156 inhabitants in its metropolitan area (2005 census). Mosquera is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca.

Similar to the demographics of Colombia as a whole, the vast bulk of the city's population are mestizo in origin (those of mixed Amerindian and white European descent), in addition to a smaller population of white European descent. The population of Afro-Colombians in Bogota is smaller than cities along the coast such as Cartagena, where Afro-Colombians have historically resided. Cartagena de Indias (kaɾtaˈhena ð̞e ˈin̪d̪jas in Spanish; the usual English pronunciation is ˌkɑrtəˈheɪnə deɪ ˈɪndiəs is a large city

Crime

In the 1990s, Bogotá was widely considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. At one point it had a homicide rate of 80 per 100,000 people. Since then, however, Bogotá has gone to great lengths to change its crime rate and its image with increasing success. The change was the result of a participatory and integrated security policy, "Communidad Segura", that was first adopted in 1995 and continues to be enforced. In 2005, Bogotá had a murder rate of 23 persons per 100,000 inhabitants, a 71% drop from the prior decade. The city today has a lower murder rate than Caracas, São Paulo, Washington, D.C. and Rio de Janeiro. Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. São Paulo ( is the largest city in Brazil, with its metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Rio de Janeiro ("River of January" ˈhiw dʒi ʒʌˈnejɾu in Brazilian Portuguese, /ˈriːoʊ di ʒəˈnɛroʊ/ in English is the second largest city of Brazil

The situation in Bogotá seems to be "greatly improved in terms of security and public safety from five years ago, and the atmosphere is much more relaxed", said Marshall Louis, a spokesman for the United States Embassy. ^{[3] [4][5]}

Government

Bogotá is the capital of the Republic of Colombia, and houses the national legislature, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the center of the executive administration as well as the residence of the President of the Republic. The Principal Mayor and District Council – both elected by popular vote – are responsible for city administration.

The city divided into 20 localities: Usaquén, Chapinero, Santa Fe, San Cristóbal, Usme, Tunjuelito, Bosa, Kennedy, Fontibón, Engativá, Suba, Barrios Unidos, Teusaquillo, Los Mártires, Antonio Nariño, Puente Aranda, La Candelaria, Rafael Uribe Uribe, Ciudad Bolívar, Sumapáz. History Chapinero was a traditional stop between Bogotá and the municipalities to the north during the colonial period General information Borders North: The Fucha river bordering the Fontibón locality Engativá, which translates to Chieftain of Inga, was a Municipality of Cundinamarca, but became a locality of Bogotá, Colombia Barrios Unidos is the 12th locality of Bogotá, capital of Colombia. General information Area The total area of the locality is 14 General Information Borders North: Diagonal 22 and Avenida El Dorado, with the locality of Teusaquillo. General information Borders North: Autopista Sur, Calle 8 Sur and Avenida Primera with the localities of Puente Aranda and Los Mártires La Candelaria is a historic neighborhood in downtown Bogotá, Colombia. History The area was an important pilgrimage site for the Muisca indigenous peoples in pre-Columbian times as the goddess Bachue was believed to be submerged

Each of the 20 localities are governed by an administrative board elected by popular vote, made up of no less than seven members. The Principal Mayor designates local mayors from candidates nominated by the respective administrative board.

Economy

Bogotá is Colombia's largest economic center, followed by Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla. Medellín, officially the Municipio de Medellín (Spanish or Municipality of Medellín (English pronunciation mɛdəˈjiːn or, Spanish: or) is the second Barranquilla, an industrial portuary and special district is a city and municipality located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean sea. Most companies in Colombia have their headquarters in Bogotá (for example, Bavaria, Avianca), is the site of Colombia's main stock market, and it is home to many foreign companies doing business in Colombia and the greater South American continent. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Avianca SA ( Spanish Acronym: Aerovías del Continente Americano, formerly Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia) has been the national Bogotá is a major center for import and export of goods for Colombia and the Andean Community in Latin America. The Andean Community ( Spanish: Comunidad Andina, CAN) is a Trade bloc comprising the South American countries of

Bogotá is the center of Colombian business. It has a busy banking, insurance sector, and a Stock exchange. A stock exchange, share market or bourse is a Corporation or Mutual organization which provides "trading" facilities for Stock Engineering firms provide services for many regions of Colombia and Central America. Bogotá houses the central governmental institutions and military headquarters. It is the centre of the telecommunications network and has the biggest industrial facilities in the country.

Bogotá also receives money from exports like flowers and emeralds. In downtown Bogotá, millions of dollars in domestically produced rough and cut emeralds are bought and sold daily. Other important industries include financial services, especially banking. Bogotá is headquarters to major commercial banks, and to the Banco de la República, Colombia's central bank. Bogotá is also a printing and publishing centre. The city is a major convention destination with many major convention centres: Centro Ferial de Convenciones Corferias, Centro de Convenciones y Eventos Cafam, Centro de Convenciones Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, among others. Because of its status as site of the country's capital, it is home to a number of government agencies, which represent another major component of the city's economy.

The city's industrial base include staples of the Colombian economy such as GM Colmotores, Compañía Colombiana Automotriz, and Ecopetrol.

Utilities

Energy and sewer bills are stratified based on the location of owner's residence, with the intended purpose that wealthier sections of society subsidize the energy bills of the poorer sections of society. Telephone service is provided by both "Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá" (ETB), a city-owned company, and "Capitel", owned by Colombia Telecomunicaciones and "EPM Bogotá", owned in turn by the Medellín public services company (Empresas Públicas de Medellín - EPM). Medellín, officially the Municipio de Medellín (Spanish or Municipality of Medellín (English pronunciation mɛdəˈjiːn or, Spanish: or) is the second Coin or card-operated payphones are also available, along with cell phone providers. There are (as of May 2007) three main operators of wireless phones: Movistar (owned by Spanish firm Telefónica), Comcel (owned by Telmex) and Tigo (co-owned by ETB, EPM and Millicom). Movistar is a major Mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica Móviles. Telefónica SA, (,,,,) is a Spanish telecommunication company. Teléfonos de México SAB de CV ( better known as Telmex, is a Mexican Telecommunications Company that provides telecommunication Colombia Móvil SA, marketed under tigo Trademark (formerly OLA) is the third largest Mobile phone company in Colombia

Transportation

Bogotá's growth has placed a strain on its roads and highways, but within the past decade significant efforts to upgrade the infrastructure have been undertaken. The TransMilenio rapid transit system, created during Enrique Peñalosa's mayoral term, is a form of bus-rapid transit that has been quickly and affordably deployed as an appropriate stopgap measure to compensate for the lack of a metro system. The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit Despite the city's chronic congestion, many of the ideas enacted during the Peñalosa years are regarded worldwide to be cost-effective, efficient and unique solutions. In addition to TransMilenio, the Peñalosa administration and voter-approved referenda helped to establish travel restrictions on private cars during peak hours, "Car Free Days" on Sundays, a massive system of bicycle paths and segregated lanes called 'ciclorutas', and the removal of thousands of parking spots in an attempt to make roads more pedestrian-friendly. The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit

Private car ownership, despite being under 25%, forms a major part of the congestion, in addition to taxis, buses and commercial vehicles. However, due to the cicloruta system, bicycles have become an increasingly important form of transportation as well.

Buses remain the main means of mass transit. There are two bus systems: the traditional system and Trasmilenio. The traditional system runs a variety of bus types, operated by several companies on normal streets and avenues:

• bus; large buses.
• buseta; medium size buses.
• colectivo; vans or minivans.

The buses are divided into two categories: "ejecutivo", which is supposed to be a deluxe service and is not supposed to carry standing passengers, and "corriente" or normal service. Bus fares range, as of March 2008, from $1100 to $1250 (US$ 0. only the letters that would be capitalized in that language in the middle of a sentence 60-0. 70 approx. )

Airports

Bogotá's principal airport is El Dorado International Airport, west of the city's downtown, at the end of Av. El Dorado International Airport is an International airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. El Dorado International Airport is an International airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. el Dorado. Due to its central location in Colombia and in Latin America, it is a natural hub for domestic and international airlines.

El Dorado is heavily congested, as it handles more passengers than its optimal capacity. Work on a major expansion of El Dorado airport started in September 2007. When completed, this will expand capacity from the current 8 million passengers a year to 16 million.

A secondary airport, Catam, serves as a base for Military and Police Aviation, also Guaymaral Airport, for private aviation activities. Guaymaral Airport is an Airport located in Bogotá, Colombia.

Bus terminals

Bogotá is a hub for domestic and international bus routes. The Gold Museum (from the Spanish El Museo del Oro) is a Museum located in Bogotá, Colombia. The Bogotá terminal serves routes to most cities and towns in Colombia ^[6] and is the largest in the country. There is international service to Ecuador and Venezuela. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the

TransMilenio

Main article: TransMilenio

TransMilenio is a bus rapid transit network combining modern articulated buses that operate on dedicated bus roads (busways) and smaller buses (feeders) that operate in residential areas, bringing passengers to the main grid. The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit Bus rapid transit ( BRT) is a broad term given to a variety of transportation systems that through improvements to infrastructure vehicles and scheduling attempt to use TransMilenio's main routes are: Caracas Avenue, Northern Highway (Autopista Norte), 80th Street, Americas Avenue, Jiménez Avenue, and 30th Avenue (also referred to as Norte Quito Sur or N. Q. S. for short). Ruotes for Suba Avenue and Southern Highway (Autopista Sur), the southern leg of the 30th Avenue, were opened in April 2006. The third phase of the system will cover 7th Avenue, 10th Avenue, and 26th Street (or Avenida El Dorado). The system is expected to cover the entire city by 2030.

Although the Transmilenio rapid bus service is considered efficient and carries commuters to numerous corners of the city, it more expensive than any public transport except taxis, and fares increase with petroleum fuel prices. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit As of December 2007 the price of a ticket was $1400; however, a single ticket allows unlimited transfers until the passenger leaves the system. only the letters that would be capitalized in that language in the middle of a sentence Transmilenio does not yet cover some main routes, and buses are overcrowded.

TransMilenio has an interactive guide www.surumbo.com to offer the most efficient ways to use the buses, with maps and information on routes, stations and nearby places.

Bike paths network

Main article: Bogotá's Bike Paths Network

Bogotá's network of bike paths, called ciclorutas, is one of the most extensive dedicated bike path networks of any city in the world, with a total extension of 303 km. Bogotá is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of Bike paths Bogotá’s bike paths network or ciclorruta Bogotá is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of Bike paths Bogotá’s bike paths network or ciclorruta Segregated cycle facilities are Roads tracks paths or marked lanes designated for use by Cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand It extends from the north of the city, 170th Street, to the south, 27th Street, and from Monserrate on the east to the Bogotá River on the west. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. The Bogotá The cicloruta was started by the 1995–1998 Antanas Mockus administration, and considerably extended during the administration of Mayor Enrique Peñalosa. Antanas Mockus Šivickas (born March 25, 1952 in Bogotá) is a Colombian mathematician, philosopher, and politician Enrique Peñalosa Londoño (born in Washington DC, United States -) is a Colombian American journalist and politician former mayor of Since the construction of the ciclorutas bicycle use in the city has increased 5-fold: it is estimated that 300,000 - 400,000 bicycle trips are made every day, largely in southern, poorer, areas.

Tourist train

On weekends a sightseeing train, popular with Bogotá residents, runs to outlying towns Zipaquirá and Nemocón. Zipaquirá is a municipality and city of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca Nemocón is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. The route to Zipaquira (famous for its salt cathedral) is 53 km long. The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá ( Spanish Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá) is an underground church built in a tunnel of Salt mines Another line goes towards the north for 47 km and ends at Briceño. Briceño is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia.

Colleges and universities

Main article: Universities of Bogotá

Bogotá has a scholarly tradition that dates back to 1580 when the first university was founded by the religious Order of Santo Domingo. The first university open in Bogotá was Universidad Santo Tomás on July 13 1580 just 41 years after the Hispanic foundation of the city The oldest university of Bogotá is Universidad Santo Tomás opened on July 13, 1580. The second oldest is Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, founded on July 9, 1623 by the Jesuits. The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana is a private higher education institution founded in 1623 The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order In December 31, 1651 the still-operating School of Our Lady of Rosary was founded by Fray Cristóbal de Torres. The "Universidad Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario" (Our Lady of the Rosary Major College University is a University originally founded on Roman

The largest university of Colombia, the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, was created in September 22, 1867. National University of Colombia (Universidad Nacional de Colombia also referred to as UN, is a public, Coeducational Research University A study by Universia found it to be the Colombian university producing the largest number of scientific papers published in peer-refereed publications in 2005, and the 142nd most prolific in Latin America. ^[7]

In 1886, the Externado of Colombia University was founded. The Universidad Externado de Colombia (Externado University of Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia, is a private university which grants 4 and 5 year primary (Licenciados

Founded in 1948 and now with more than 14,000 students, the private Universidad de los Andes is considered one of the major universities in Colombia. Universidad de los Andes (also known as Uniandes) is a Private university located in Bogotá, Colombia.

Bogotá has more schools, colleges, and universities than any other city in Colombia.

Parks and recreation

There are many parks, many with facilities for concerts, plays, movies, storytellers and other activities.

• "Simón Bolívar Metropolitan Park" is a large park regularly used to stage free concerts (such as the annual Rock al Parque, a festival in which new and popular Latin rock bands play free of charge). Simón Bolivar Metropolitan Park is located in the center of Bogotá, Colombia and is surrounded by some of Bogotá's most important avenues Rock al Parque, Spanish for Rock at the Park, is a Rock music festival that takes place in Bogotá Colombia every year Kites are flown in the park.

• The public Parque Nacional (National Park)has many trees and green spaces, ponds, games for children, many foot and bicycle paths, and venues for entertainment such as public screenings of movies and concerts and events organized by the Council of Bogotá. It is located between two main streets, the Circunvalar Avenue and the 7th Avenue.

• The Bogotá Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Bogotá). (Jardin Botánico de BogotáAka José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden: It is Colombia's biggest botanical garden located in Bogotá.

• "Parque de la 93" is located between 93rd and 93Ath street, and 12th and 13th avenue, and has day-time leisure activities and nightlife. Several of the top restaurants and bars in the city are in this park.

• There are restaurants and bars in the vicinity of a T-shaped pedestrian strip dubbed "La T" (The T) at the corner of 82nd street and Cra. 12. More recently, restaurant activity has begun in the "Zona G" (Gourmet Zone) in and around 67th and 70th Streets and other locations including Usaquen in the north-east and La Macarena (center east).

• Mundo Aventura is an amusement park, with an entry charge and charges for the different attractions. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group It has rides for adults and children, a petting zoo, and the "cerdodromo", where pigs race. A petting zoo (often called and/or part of a " children's zoo " features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch

• "Salitre Mágico" is another amusement park with rides and attractions. The park is near the well-known Simón Bolívar park, where concerts are held throughout the year.

• Parque del Chicó has trees, gardens, artificial creeks and ponds, and a colonial style house converted into a museum.

• To the north Parque Jaime Duque has rides, a giant map of Colombia, popular exhibits, a zoo, and a big hand holding the world symbolizing God. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. There is a reproduction of the Taj Mahal in the park with a collection of reproductions of famous paintings. The Taj Mahal (tɑdʒ

• Maloka is an interactive museum of sciences. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá.

• There are many other parks in Bogotá. Each neighborhood has its own park. Some of these parks are private, for local residents only, and others are public. Some parks are watched over by park-keepers. Sporting events are sometimes held in parks.

Sister cities

• Asunción, Paraguay
• Islamabad, Pakistan
• Medellín, Colombia
• Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Caracas, Venezuela
• Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
• La Habana, Cuba
• Lisboa, Portugal
• Madrid, Spain
• Quito, Ecuador
• Guayaquil, Ecuador
• Managua, Nicaragua
• Tegucigalpa, Honduras
• Ciudad de México, México
• Montevideo, Uruguay
• Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
• Brasilia, Brazil
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• San Salvador, El Salvador
• Santiago de Chile, Chile
• San José, Costa Rica
• La Paz, Bolivia
• Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• London, United Kingdom
• Torino, Italy
• Miami, USA
• Los Angeles, USA

References

Gallery

View of downtown Bogotá from nearby Monserrate	An Eastern view of Bogotá's International Business District with Monserrate looming above	TransMilenio's 19th Street Station	Station at Jiménez Avenue and Carrera 7
TransMilenio Station at Mandalay, Américas Avenue	Bavaria Central Park	Overview of Bavaria Central Park	Santamaría Bullring with Park Towers behind
Colpatria Bank Building	Colpatria Tower at night	Negret Sculpture at National Museum	Mural at the elliptic room of the National Congress. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit The TransMilenio is a Bus rapid transit For the retail complex in Birmingham UK see Bull Ring Birmingham. Torre Colpatria (Colpatria Tower is a 50-story building located in Bogotá, Colombia. Colombian National Museum (Museo Nacional de Colombia located in Bogotá downtown is the biggest Museum in Colombia.
Saint Francis of Assisi Church	Panoramic view of downtown Bogotá from nearby Monserrate	Monserrate Church	Candelaria Church
Downtown Bogotá	View of the Maloka Museum dome theater from the museum	The Maloka Museum from the sidewalk	View of the Maloka dome theater
Maloka Dome theater facade	Maloka Dome theater facade	Up: Santamaría Bullring Down: Distrital Planetarium	The painted ceiling and Murano chandelier of the Teatro Colon
Private balcony view of the Teatro Colon	Basilica of Our Lady of Carmen

See also

• Bogotá's Carnival
• Bogotá's Bike Paths Network
• Bolivar Square
• Children's Museum of Bogotá
• Rock al parque

External links

• Bogotá travel guide from Wikitravel
• City Official Site
• Mayor Official Site
• Bogotá Tourism Guide
• Skyscrapers and Buildings in Bogotá - Photographies and general information about buildings in the city. For the opera by Olivier Messiaen see Saint-François d'Assise. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá. The Maloka Museum is an interactive science museum in Colombia located in Bogotá. Santamaría Bullring is a Bullring in Bogotá, Colombia and it is currently used for Bullfighting, although it has also been used for concerts A planetarium is a Theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about Astronomy and the night sky or for training in Celestial navigation Murano is usually described as an Island in the Venetian Lagoon, although like Venice itself it is actually an Archipelago of islands linked Bogotá's Carnival or Carnival of Bogotá ( Spanish: Carnaval de Bogotá) is celebrated in Bogotá every year on August 5 and Bogotá is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of Bike paths Bogotá’s bike paths network or ciclorruta The Bolívar Square ( Spanish: Plaza de Bolívar) is located in the heart of the historical area of Bogotá. The Children's Museum of Bogotá ( Fundación Museo de los Niños) is a privately managed Museum foundation in Bogotá, Colombia's capital Rock al Parque, Spanish for Rock at the Park, is a Rock music festival that takes place in Bogotá Colombia every year Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.
• Bogotá Tourism - Directory & travel information
• BogoWiki - A Wiki dedicated to Bogotá
• Bogotá from The Air - Aerial photographs of Bogotá
• Museos de Bogotá - A museum guide for the Colombian capital
• Harvard Gazette Archives Text on Antanas Mockus's many inspired strategies to change Bogotá
• www.surumbo.com TransMilenio official interactive guide

• Bogotá is at coordinates 4°36′42″N 74°04′34″W / 4.6117, -74.076 (Bogotá)Coordinates: 4°36′42″N 74°04′34″W / 4.6117, -74.076 (Bogotá)

Preceded by Turin

World Book Capital 2007

Succeeded by Amsterdam

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. World Book Capital is a title bestowed by UNESCO to a city in recognition of the quality of its programs to promote Books and reading and the dedication Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west

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