Toca | |
Settlement Type: | Municipality and town |
Mapsize: | 250px |
Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Colombia |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Type1: | Department |
Subdivision Name1: | Boyacá Department |
Subdivision Type2: | Province |
Subdivision Name2: | Central Boyacá Province |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Leader Name: | Segundo Crisanto Ochoa Díaz (2020-2023) |
Established Title: | Founded |
Established Date: | 7 January 1555 |
Founder: | Pedro Ruíz García |
Area Total Km2: | 165 |
Population As Of: | 2015 |
Population Total: | 10157 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Population Urban: | 3629 |
Timezone: | Colombia Standard Time |
Utc Offset: | -5 |
Elevation M: | 2810 |
Website: | Official website |
Toca is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. Toca is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense 27km (17miles) northeast from the department capital Tunja. It borders Tuta in the north, Siachoque in the south, Pesca in the east and Tuta and Chivatá in the west.[1]
Before the Spanish conquest of the central highlands of the Colombian Andes, the area was inhabited by the Muisca people, organized in a loose confederation of different rulers. Toca was reigned by the iraca of Sugamuxi, present-day Sogamoso. The troops of conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada entered the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in 1537. The year of foundation of modern Toca is not entirely clear, but set at 1555 by Pedro Ruíz García.[1]
In the Chibcha language of the Muisca, Toca means "Domain of the river".[2]
The economy of Toca is based on agriculture and livestock farming, with a small mining (salt) part. Main agricultural products are wheat, potatoes, maize, barley, peas, beans, apples, pears, peaches, curubas and cherries.[1]