Ibagué
Encyclopedia
Ibagué is the capital of the department
of Tolima in Colombia
. It is situated 1,285 m (4,216 ft) above sea level, on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central
between the Chipalo and Combeima rivers, tributaries of the Coello River. It is on the road from Bogotá
to Cali
near the high mountain pass known as "La Línea
" ("The Line") which connects the interandean valleys of Magdalena
and Cauca
rivers; as a result, the city has become an important commercial center and road transport hub. The fertile surrounding countryside produces coffee
, cacao, tobacco
, sugarcane
, and rice
. Ibagué is widely regarded as the "Musical City of Colombia" due to its long tradition in offering advanced musical education and its rich schedule of musical events during the year.
Andrés López de Galarza on October 14, 1550 as "Villa de San Bonifacio de Ibagué del Valle de las Lanzas" ("Town of Saint Boniface of Ibagué of the Valley of the Spears") in the place where today is located the urban area of the neighbouring municipality of Cajamarca
, which lies 42 km to the west of the modern city of Ibagué. Due to the frequent attacks by the indigenous Pijaos commanded by cacique
Ibagué, the city was founded once more in its current location on February 7, 1551. From April to December 1854 Ibagué was briefly the capital of the New Granada
following a coup d'etat
promoted by José María Melo
, a general and politician born in Chaparral, Tolima
. In 1908, when the department of Tolima was created, Ibagué became its capital. Tolima University was founded in 1945, and was raised to state university status in 1954. The city is also the home of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué.
region, in central Tolima department, surrounded by mountains in all sides, except for a plateau which extends to the east.
. It has two active volcanoes in its immediate vicinity, the Nevado del Tolima
, 28 km NW of the city, and the Cerro Machín
, 17 km E of the city centre but still within the Municipality of Ibagué. The city is one access point to the Los Nevados
National Park, the other being Manizales
.
Cerro Machín has been dormant for the last 800 years, but recently seismological activity has been registered, causing several earthquakes. The volcano is classified as "III - Changes in behaviour of volcanic activity" by Ingeominas, the Colombian Institute for Geology and Mining. A map of menaced areas has been published indicating that in case of an eruption the city of Ibagué would, despite its vicinity, not be affected.
Ibagué lies at the intersection of national roads 40 and 43, connecting the city to Magdalena River Valley
and Bogotá to the east, Armenia
and the Valle del Cauca
to the west, and Honda
to the north. There is a long distance bus terminal
with connections to most big cities in Colombia. There are frequent connections to Bogotá
, Cali
, Medellin
, and several overnight buses to Cartagena
, Barranquilla
, and seasonal services to Santa Marta
.
About 10 km east of the city lies Perales Airport
which has several flights a day to Bogotá and Medellin.
under the Koppen climate classification
, albeit a noticeably cooler version of the climate due to the high altitude. Although the city does experience noticeably drier conditions during the months of January and July, the city has no true dry season
month, as all 12 months see on average more than 60 mm of precipitation. As is commonplace with areas with this climate, temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the course of the year in Ibague, with average high temperatures of about 28 degrees Celsius and average low temperatures of about 18 degrees Celsius. Ibague on average sees 1700 mm of precipitation annually.
, boxer
Óscar Escandón
, singer Jairo Alberto Bocanegra Pena, soprano
Patricia Caicedo, and novelist James Cañón
, .
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of Tolima in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is situated 1,285 m (4,216 ft) above sea level, on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central
Cordillera Central, Colombia
The Cordillera Central range is one of the three branches of ridges in the Andes Mountains that split in southern Colombia towards the north up to the Montes de Maria....
between the Chipalo and Combeima rivers, tributaries of the Coello River. It is on the road from Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
to Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
near the high mountain pass known as "La Línea
La linea
La Línea is a highway tunnel currently under construction between the cities of Calarcá, Quindío and Cajamarca, Tolima in Colombia. It will cross beneath the locally famous "Alto de La Línea" in the Cordillera Central or central range of the Andes mountains, easing traffic on one of Colombia's...
" ("The Line") which connects the interandean valleys of Magdalena
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
and Cauca
Cauca River
The Cauca River is a river in Colombia that lies between the Occidental and Central cordilleras. Born in southwestern Colombia near the city of Popayán, it joins the Magdalena River near Pinillos in Bolívar Department, and the combined river eventually flows out into the Caribbean Sea. It has a...
rivers; as a result, the city has become an important commercial center and road transport hub. The fertile surrounding countryside produces coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, cacao, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
. Ibagué is widely regarded as the "Musical City of Colombia" due to its long tradition in offering advanced musical education and its rich schedule of musical events during the year.
History
Ibagué was founded by SpaniardSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Andrés López de Galarza on October 14, 1550 as "Villa de San Bonifacio de Ibagué del Valle de las Lanzas" ("Town of Saint Boniface of Ibagué of the Valley of the Spears") in the place where today is located the urban area of the neighbouring municipality of Cajamarca
Cajamarca, Tolima
Cajamarca is a town and municipality in the Tolima Department of Colombia. The population of the municipality was 18,701 as of the 1993 census....
, which lies 42 km to the west of the modern city of Ibagué. Due to the frequent attacks by the indigenous Pijaos commanded by cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
Ibagué, the city was founded once more in its current location on February 7, 1551. From April to December 1854 Ibagué was briefly the capital of the New Granada
New Granada
New Granada may refer to various former national denominations for the present-day country of Colombia.*New Kingdom of Granada, from 1538 to 1717*Viceroyalty of New Granada, from 1717 to 1810, re-established from 1816 to 1819...
following a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
promoted by José María Melo
José María Melo
José María Dionisio Melo y Ortiz was a Colombian general and politician of Pijao ancestry, who fought in the South American wars of independence, and who in 1854 rose to power and held the presidency of Colombia. In August, 1850, artisans demanded protection and the creation of a national workshop...
, a general and politician born in Chaparral, Tolima
Chaparral, Tolima
Chapparal is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia. The population of the municipality was 40,880 as of the 1993 census....
. In 1908, when the department of Tolima was created, Ibagué became its capital. Tolima University was founded in 1945, and was raised to state university status in 1954. The city is also the home of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué.
Geography
Ibagué is located in the Colombian AndeanAndes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
region, in central Tolima department, surrounded by mountains in all sides, except for a plateau which extends to the east.
Volcanism
Ibagué lies within the Andean Volcanic BeltAndean Volcanic Belt
The Andean Volcanic Belt is a major volcanic belt along the Andean cordillera in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. It formed as a result of subduction of the Nazca Plate and Antarctic Plate underneath the South American Plate. The belt is subdivided into four main volcanic...
. It has two active volcanoes in its immediate vicinity, the Nevado del Tolima
Nevado del Tolima
Nevado del Tolima is a stratovolcano located in Tolima Department, Colombia, south of Nevado del Ruiz volcano.The steep-sided, glacier-clad Nevado del Tolima volcano contrasts with the broad profile of Nevado del Ruiz volcano to the north...
, 28 km NW of the city, and the Cerro Machín
Cerro Machín
Cerro Machín is a stratovolcano located in Tolima Department, Colombia. Cerro Machin is a volcanic plug that is approximately the same age as the Ruiz-Tolima Massif and has the appearance of being part of that volcanic system...
, 17 km E of the city centre but still within the Municipality of Ibagué. The city is one access point to the Los Nevados
Los Nevados
Los Nevados National Natural Park is a national park located in the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. The 5,300-meter high volcano Nevado del Ruiz is dominating Los Nevados. Out of the 55 protected areas in Colombia, Los Nevados National Natural Park was the third most visited in 2009,...
National Park, the other being Manizales
Manizales
Manizales is a city and municipality in central Colombia, capital of Department of Caldas and part of the region of Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis, near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano....
.
Cerro Machín has been dormant for the last 800 years, but recently seismological activity has been registered, causing several earthquakes. The volcano is classified as "III - Changes in behaviour of volcanic activity" by Ingeominas, the Colombian Institute for Geology and Mining. A map of menaced areas has been published indicating that in case of an eruption the city of Ibagué would, despite its vicinity, not be affected.
Demographics
The total population of the municipality of Ibagué (including urban and rural zones) is 745000 inhabitants, of which 468,647 reside in the urban area.Transportation
Municipal transport is managed by several local bus companies that operate minibuses throughout the city and to neighbouring villages.Ibagué lies at the intersection of national roads 40 and 43, connecting the city to Magdalena River Valley
Magdalena River Valley
The Magdalena River Valley is a valley in Colombia located within the Colombian Andes mountain ranges. The valley is specifically located between the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental and crossed by the river of the same name, the Magdalena River....
and Bogotá to the east, Armenia
Armenia, Colombia
Armenia is the capital of Quindío, a department in Colombia. The city is located at coordinates 4.5170° north, 75.6830° west, 290 kilometers west of Bogotá. Armenia is a mid-size city located between Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, the 3 largest Colombian cities. The city's area code for phone calls is...
and the Valle del Cauca
Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca is a department of Colombia. It is in the western side of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean, and it is considered one of the most important departments in the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is Santiago de Cali...
to the west, and Honda
Honda, Tolima
Honda is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia. The population of the municipality was 26,873 as of the 2005 census. Along with Líbano, Honda is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Líbano-Honda...
to the north. There is a long distance bus terminal
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
with connections to most big cities in Colombia. There are frequent connections to Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Medellin
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, and several overnight buses to Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, and seasonal services to Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
.
About 10 km east of the city lies Perales Airport
Perales Airport
Perales Airport is an airport in Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia.- Airlines and destinations :...
which has several flights a day to Bogotá and Medellin.
Climate
Ibague features a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
under the Koppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, albeit a noticeably cooler version of the climate due to the high altitude. Although the city does experience noticeably drier conditions during the months of January and July, the city has no true dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
month, as all 12 months see on average more than 60 mm of precipitation. As is commonplace with areas with this climate, temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the course of the year in Ibague, with average high temperatures of about 28 degrees Celsius and average low temperatures of about 18 degrees Celsius. Ibague on average sees 1700 mm of precipitation annually.
Notable people
Ibagué is the birthplace of painter Darío Ortiz RobledoDario Ortiz
Dario Ortiz Robledo is a Colombian artist.Ortiz, a self-taught artist, was born in Ibagué, Colombia. He studied History and Art Appreciation in the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in 1990-91...
, boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Óscar Escandón
Óscar Escandón
Oscar Eduardo Escandón Berrío is a boxer from Colombia, who participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics for his native South American country. There he was stopped in the round of sixteen of the Flyweight division by Germany's Rustamhodza Rahimov...
, singer Jairo Alberto Bocanegra Pena, soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Patricia Caicedo, and novelist James Cañón
James Cañón
Born and raised in Ibagué, Colombia, James Cañón received his B.A in advertising from Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano of Bogotá. He moved to New York in the mid 1990s to study English, and later earned his MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. His short stories and essays have been...
, .