Muzo
Villa de la Santísima Trinidad de los Muzos | |
---|---|
Municipality and town | |
Etymology: Muzo | |
Nickname: Emerald capital of the world | |
Coordinates: 5°31′52.8″N 74°06′26.2″W / 5.531333°N 74.107278°W | |
Country | Colombia |
Department | Boyacá Department |
Province | Western Boyacá Province |
Founded | 20 February 1559 |
Founded by | Luis Lanchero |
Government | |
• Mayoress | Ximena Elizabeth Castañeda (2024–2027) |
Area | |
• Municipality and town | 147 km2 (57 sq mi) |
Elevation | 815 m (2,674 ft) |
Population (2015) | |
• Municipality and town | 9,040 |
• Density | 61/km2 (160/sq mi) |
• Urban | 5,350 |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) |
Website | Official website |
Muzo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmuso]) is a town and municipality in the Western Boyacá Province, part of the department of Boyacá, Colombia. It is widely known as the world capital of emeralds for the mines containing the world's highest quality gems of this type. Muzo is situated at a distance of 178 kilometres (111 mi) from the departmental capital Tunja and 118 kilometres (73 mi) from the capital of the Western Boyacá Province, Chiquinquirá. The urban centre is at an altitude of 815 metres (2,674 ft) above sea level. Muzo borders Otanche and San Pablo de Borbur in the north, Maripí and Coper in the east, Quípama in the west and the department of Cundinamarca in the south.[1]