Chimichagua facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chimichagua
City
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  "El Viejo Puerto" "The Old Port"
Motto(s):  "Peace, Union and Work" Paz, Union y Trabajo
Location of the municipality and town of Chimichagua in the Department of Cesar.
Country	Colombia
Region	Caribbean
Department	Cesar
Foundation	1748
Area
• Total	1,568 km2 (605 sq mi)
Population  (Census 2018)
• Total	30,289
Time zone	UTC-5
Website	chimichagua-cesar.gov.co/

Chimichagua (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃimiˈtʃaɣwa]) is a city and municipality in the central region of the Department of Cesar, Colombia. Approximately one third of the municipality of Chimichagua is water. The municipality seat lies by the Cienaga de Zapatosa marshes.

Etymology

Chimichagua was the name of the Chimila cacique that inhabited the area at the time of the Spanish conquest. Chimichagua or Chiminigagua is the name of the supreme being of the Muisca. Muisca and Chimila pertain to the same language family; the Chibcha language.

History

Pre-Columbian

The territory of the municipality of Chimichagua was inhabited by the indigenous group known as the Chimila who at the time of the Spanish arrival were established in most of the Cesar River basin and its valley between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía del Perijá mountain ranges and bordering the Magdalena River.

Spanish conquest and colonization

Chimichagua was founded by Jose Fernando de Mier y Guerra on December 8, 1748 accompanied by Sebastian de Eslava who was in representation of the Viceroy. The village was first named Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Chimichagua. The population of this village migrated to other nearby villages such as Tamalameque, Santa Cruz de Mompox, Valencia de Jesús and Valledupar due to accessibility problems.

Republicanism

Chimichagua became a municipality by Ordinance 54 of 1892. In 1967 with the creation of the Department of Cesar Chimichagua became one of its municipalities.