BOGOTA or SANTA FE DE BOGOTA, the capital of the republic of Colombia, and of the interior department of Cundinamarca. Pop. in 1933, 264,607. The city is on the eastern margin of a large elevated plateau 8,563ft. above sea-level. The plateau may be described as a great bench or shelf on the western slope of the eastern Cordilleras, about 7om. long and 3om. wide, with a low rim on its western margin and backed by a high ridge on the east. The plain forming the plateau appears to be an old lacustrine basin and has numerous small lakes remaining and many streams. These streams, one of which, the San Francisco, passes through the city, unite near the south-western extremity of the plateau and form the Rio Funza, or Bogota, which finally plunges over the edge at Tequendama in a beautiful, perpendicular fall of about 4 7 5f t. The city is built upon a sloping plain at the base of two mountains, La Guadalupe and Monserrate, upon whose crests stand two imposing churches. From a broad avenue on the upper side, downward to the west, slope the streets, through which run streams of cool, fresh water from the mountains above. The north and south streets cross these at right angles, and the blocks thus formed are like great terraces. A number of hand somely laid out plazas, or squares, ornamented with gardens and statuary, have been preserved ; on these face the principal public buildings and churches. In Plaza Bolivar is a statue of Bolivar by Pietro Tenerani (1789-1869), a pupil of Canova, and in Plaza Santander is one of Gen. Francisco de Paula Santander (1792 1840). Facing on Plaza de la Constitucion are the capitol and cathedral. Owing to the prevalence of earthquakes, private houses are usually of one storey, built of sun-dried bricks white washed.
Short lines of railway connect Bogota with Facatativa (24m.) on the road to Honda, and with Zipaquira, where extensive salt mines are worked, and with Jirardot, at the head of navigation on the upper Magdalena. Bogota is an archiepiscopal see, founded in 1561, and is one of the strongholds of mediaeval clericalism in South America. It has a cathedral, rebuilt in 1814, and some 3o other churches, together with many old conventual buildings now used for secular purposes, their religious communities having been dissolved by Mosquera and their revenues devoted in great measure to education. The capitol, which is occupied by the executive and legislative departments, is an elegant and spacious building, erected since 1875. The interest which Bogota has always taken in education, and because of which she has been called the "Athens of South America," is shown in the number and character of her institutions of learning—a university, several colleges and schools, a public library, a national observatory, a natural his tory museum and a botanic garden. The city also possesses a well-equipped mint, little used in recent years. The plain sur rounding the city is very fertile, intensively cultivated, and pas tures cattle and produces cereals, vegetables and fruit in abund ance. It was the centre of Chibcha civilization before the Spanish conquest and sustained a large population. The climate is mild.
Bogota was founded in 1S38 by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada and was named Santa Fe de Bogota after his birthplace Santa Fe, and after the southern capital of the Chibchas, Bacata (or Funza). It was made the capital of the viceroyalty of Nueva Granada, and soon became one of the centres of Spanish colonial power and civilization on the South American continent. In 1811 its citizens revolted against Spanish rule and set up a government of their own, but in 1816 the city was occupied by Pablo Morillo (1777-1838), the Spanish general, who subjected it to a ruthless military Government until 1819, when Bolivar's victory at Boyaca compelled its evacuation. On the creation of the republic of Colombia, Bogota became its capital, and when that republic was dissolved into its three constituent parts it remained the capital of Nueva Granada. (A. J. L.) BOGRA or BAGURA, a town and district of British India, in the Rajshahi division of Bengal. The town is situated on the right bank of the river Karatoya. Pop. (1931) 14,819. The dis trict of Bogra lies west of the main channel of the Brahmaputra. It contains an area of 1,384sq.m. and a population (1931) of 1,086,419: Mohammedans account for 89% of the population, the highest district percentage in Bengal. The district stretches out in a level plain, intersected by numerous streams and dotted with patches of jungle. The Karatoya river flows from north to south, dividing it into two portions, possessing distinct characteristics. The eastern tract consists of rich alluvial soil, well watered, and subject to fertilizing inundations; the western portion is high lying. The principal rivers are formed by the different channels of the Brahmaputra, which river here bears the local name of the Daokoba or "hatchet-cut." The population is almost entirely agricultural, rice being the staple crop, and local industries are of small importance.