Cundinamarca

Cundinamarca

 

a department in central Colombia, on the western slopes and foothills of the Cordillera Oriental. On the west it is bounded by the Magdalena River. Area, 24,000 sq km. Population, 3,729,000 (1971, estimate, including Bogotá). The administrative and industrial center is Bogotá. In the Magdalena Valley the chief crops are cotton, sugarcane, cocoa, and bananas, and coffee is cultivated in the foothills. At higher altitudes wheat, barley, and potatoes are grown, and there is pasture livestock raising. Nonferrous metal ores and emeralds are mined in the region. Major industries include food processing, textiles, and chemicals.