# Ibagué > capital of the department of Tolima in Colombia **Wikidata**: [Q222755](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q222755) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibagué) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ibague ## Summary Ibagué is the capital city of the Tolima Department in Colombia, founded on October 14, 1550. It is a municipality of Colombia and a large human settlement classified as a big city with a population of 546,003 as of 2024. Known as the "Musical Capital of Colombia," Ibagué is located in the Andean region at an elevation of 1,285 metres above sea level and serves as the administrative, cultural, and economic centre of Tolima. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Ibagué - **Inception (Founded):** October 14, 1550 - **Classification:** Municipality of Colombia, city, big city (population ≥100,000) - **Capital Of:** Tolima Department - **Country:** Colombia - **Location:** Tolima Department, Colombia - **Coordinates:** Latitude 4.4377777777778, Longitude -75.200555555556 - **Area:** 1,498 square kilometres - **Population:** 546,003 (2024) - **Elevation:** 1,285 metres above sea level - **Postal Code:** 730001–730019 - **Local Dialing Code:** 0057 8 - **Patron Saint:** Saint Boniface - **DANE Code:** 73001 ### Identifiers - **VIAF ID:** 236147592 - **GND ID:** 7543361-8 - **Geonames ID:** 3680657 - **Freebase ID:** /m/054h3g - **MusicBrainz Area ID:** 0580af2d-0c45-4ba3-866d-457315e39b21 - **OpenStreetMap Relation ID:** 1342108 - **iNaturalist Place ID:** 29203 - **GNS Unique Feature ID:** -586581 ### Aliases - Musical capital of Colombia - Capital musical de Colombia - Ibague - إيباغي (Arabic) ### Connected Entities - **Tolima Department:** Department of Colombia, inception 1886 - **Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué:** Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Colombia, inception 1900, headquarters in Ibagué - **Perales Airport:** Colombian airport located in Ibagué, Tolima Department - **Museo de Arte del Tolima:** Museum in Ibagué, inception December 2003 - **Lomas de Zamora:** Twinned administrative body ### Online Presence - **Official Website:** https://www.ibague.gov.co/ - **Wikipedia Languages:** 81 languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, and many others - **Commons Category:** Ibagué ## FAQs **What type of administrative region is Ibagué?** Ibagué is a municipality of Colombia and serves as the capital of the Tolima Department. It is classified as both a city and a big city (defined as having a population of at least 100,000 people). **When was Ibagué founded?** Ibagué was founded on October 14, 1550, making it a city with over 470 years of history. **What is Ibagué known for?** Ibagué is widely known as the "Musical Capital of Colombia" (Capital musical de Colombia) due to its rich musical traditions and cultural heritage. **What is the population of Ibagué?** As of 2024, Ibagué has a population of 546,003 people. **What is the elevation of Ibagué?** Ibagué sits at 1,285 metres above sea level, located in the Andean region of Colombia. **What department is Ibagué the capital of?** Ibagué is the capital of the Tolima Department in Colombia. The department was established on January 1, 1886. **What is the religious affiliation of Ibagué?** Ibagué is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué, which was established in 1900. **What airport serves Ibagué?** Ibagué is served by Perales Airport, located within the city in the Tolima Department. **What museum is located in Ibagué?** The Museo de Arte del Tolima (Museum of Art of Tolima) is located in Ibagué, founded in December 2003. **What is the postal code range for Ibagué?** The postal codes for Ibagué range from 730001 to 730019. ## Why It Matters Ibagué holds significant importance as the administrative capital of Tolima, one of Colombia's 32 departments. As a regional centre, it serves as the political, economic, and cultural hub for over 1.3 million people in the department. The city's founding in 1550 places it among the oldest continuously inhabited Spanish colonial settlements in the region, giving it deep historical significance. The city's nickname as the "Musical Capital of Colombia" reflects its cultural importance in Colombian arts and music traditions. This designation has made Ibagué a destination for cultural tourism and music festivals, contributing to the local economy and Colombia's cultural identity. Geographically, Ibagué's location at 1,285 metres above sea level in the Andean region makes it a strategic centre for trade, transportation, and commerce in central Colombia. The presence of Perales Airport connects the city to national and international destinations, while its road networks link it to Bogotá and other major cities. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué, established in 1900, underscores the city's religious and historical importance, serving as the ecclesiastical seat for Catholic faithful in the region. The Museo de Arte del Tolima, founded in 2003, continues the city's cultural legacy by preserving and showcasing regional art and heritage. ## Notable For - **Musical Heritage:** Known as the "Musical Capital of Colombia" (Capital musical de Colombia), a title reflecting its deep-rooted traditions in music and arts - **Historical Significance:** Founded in 1550, making it one of the oldest colonial cities in the Tolima region - **Administrative Importance:** Capital of Tolima Department since the department's inception in 1886 - **Geographic Position:** Located at coordinates 4.4377777777778°N, 75.200555555556°W in the Andean region of Colombia - **Municipal Classification:** One of 252 cities classified as large human settlements in the Wikidata taxonomy - **Population Scale:** Classified as a "big city" with population exceeding 100,000 residents - **Ecclesiastical History:** Seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué since 1900 - **Cultural Infrastructure:** Home to the Museo de Arte del Tolima since 2003 - **Transportation Hub:** Location of Perales Airport serving domestic and international flights ## Body ### History and Foundation Ibagué was founded on October 14, 1550, during the Spanish colonial period. The city's establishment as a Spanish colonial settlement places it among the older continuously inhabited municipalities in Colombia, with over four centuries of history. The founding occurred during the early colonial era when Spain was consolidating its control over the New Kingdom of Granada. The city's historical trajectory includes its eventual designation as the capital of Tolima Department, which was officially established on January 1, 1886. This administrative status elevated Ibagué from a colonial settlement to the political centre of one of Colombia's departments. ### Geography and Location Ibagué is located in the Tolima Department of Colombia, situated in the Andean region of the country. The city occupies an area of 1,498 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 1,285 metres above sea level. Its geographic coordinates are 4.4377777777778° North latitude and 75.200555555556° West longitude. The city's location in the central Andean region places it within a mountainous terrain characteristic of Colombia's highland areas. The elevation and location have influenced the city's climate, agriculture, and economic activities throughout its history. ### Demographics and Population As of 2024, Ibagué has a population of 546,003 residents, classifying it as a "big city" under the standard definition of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 people. The population figure is derived from official Colombian census projections by DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística). The city's status as the departmental capital makes it the most populous municipality in Tolima Department, serving as the primary urban centre for the surrounding region. The population density and urban growth reflect Ibagué's role as an administrative, commercial, and cultural hub. ### Administrative Structure Ibagué functions as a municipality of Colombia, which are decentralized subdivisions of the Republic of Colombia. As the capital of Tolima Department, the city serves as the seat of departmental government, housing the offices of the departmental governor and other regional administrative bodies. The municipality is assigned DANE code 73001, which identifies it in official Colombian statistical and administrative records. For postal purposes, the city uses postal codes ranging from 730001 to 730019. The local dialing code for Ibagué is 0057 8, following Colombia's country code (57) and the area code for the Tolima region (8). ### Religious Institutions The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibagué serves as the ecclesiastical seat for the city and surrounding areas. The archdiocese was established in 1900, with its headquarters located in Ibagué. The diocese covers the Catholic faithful within the Tolima Department and represents one of the important religious institutions in the region. The patron saint of Ibagué is Saint Boniface, whose feast day and veneration are part of the city's religious traditions. ### Transportation and Infrastructure Perales Airport serves Ibagué as the primary airport facility, located within the city limits in the Tolima Department. The airport provides domestic flight connections and some international services, connecting Ibagué to Bogotá and other major Colombian cities. The city's road network links it to other major population centres in Colombia, including the capital Bogotá. The transportation infrastructure supports the city's role as a regional economic hub. ### Cultural Institutions The Museo de Arte del Tolima (Museum of Art of Tolima) is a significant cultural institution in Ibagué, founded in December 2003. The museum preserves and exhibits artworks from the Tolima region, contributing to the city's cultural heritage and artistic education. Ibagué's reputation as the "Musical Capital of Colombia" (Capital musical de Colombia) reflects its longstanding traditions in music, particularly in folk and popular music genres. This cultural designation has made the city notable in Colombian arts circles. ### International Connections Ibagué maintains twin city relationships with Lomas de Zamora, an administrative division in Argentina. This twinning reflects cultural and administrative exchanges between the two municipalities. The city has extensive Wikipedia coverage in 81 languages, demonstrating its international recognition and the availability of information about the city across global linguistic communities. ### Identifiers and References Ibagué is catalogued in numerous international databases and identifier systems: The VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) ID 236147592 provides an international standard identifier for the city in library catalogues. The GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei) ID 7543361-8 serves as the German national library identifier. Geonames ID 3680657 identifies the city in the Geonames geographical database, while the Freebase ID /m/054h3g provides a link in the Freebase knowledge graph. The MusicBrainz area ID 0580af2d-0c45-4ba3-866d-457315e39b21 identifies the city in music-related databases. The OpenStreetMap relation ID 1342108 links the city to the OpenStreetMap project, while the iNaturalist place ID 29203 identifies Ibagué in biodiversity observation records. ### Online Presence The official government website for Ibagué is https://www.ibague.gov.co/, providing information about municipal services, tourism, and local government. The city has dedicated coverage on Wikimedia Commons, including images of the city (Ibagué,_Colombia.jpg), banners (Ibagué_banner.jpg), the coat of arms (Escudo_de_Ibagué.svg), and location maps (Colombia_-_Tolima_-_Ibagué.svg). ### Encyclopedia References Ibagué is documented in numerous encyclopedic sources, including: - Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary - National Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan - Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4th edition (1885–1890) - Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (1911) - Encyclopædia Britannica Online - Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana - Great Russian Encyclopedia Online (2017) - Encyclopedia of China (Second Edition) These references demonstrate the city's historical and contemporary significance in global encyclopedic knowledge. ## References 1. Virtual International Authority File 2. Integrated Authority File 3. WikiMapia 4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 5. MusicBrainz 6. [Source](http://www.dane.gov.co/files/investigaciones/poblacion/proyepobla06_20/ProyeccionMunicipios2005_2020.xls) 7. GeoNames 8. BBC Things 9. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip) 10. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File