Pasto

Infobox Settlement
name = Pasto
official_name = San Juan de Pasto
settlement_type = City
native_name =
nickname = "Ciudad Sorpresa" (Surprise City)
"Ciudad Teológica" (Theological City)
"Tierra del Galeras" (Galeras's Land)
settlement_type = City
motto = "Muy Noble Y Muy Leal Ciudad de San Juan de Pasto" ("Very Noble and Very Loyal City of San Juan de Pasto)
"Viva Pasto, Carajo!" (Go Pasto, Carajo!)

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image_caption = Sunset at Pasto (Galeras Volcano at bottom)

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seal_size =
image_shield = Escudo de Armas de San Juan de Pasto.jpg
shield_size = 100px
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map_caption = Location of the municipality and city of Pasto in the Department of Nariño


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = COL
subdivision_type1 = Department
subdivision_name1 = Nariño
subdivision_type2 =
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government_footnotes =
government_type = Municipality
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Eduardo Alvarado Santander
leader_title1 =
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established_title = Founding
established_date = 1537
founder = Sebastián de Belalcázar
established_title2 = Established
established_date2 = 1539-06-24 (Atriz Valley)
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
named_for = Saint John the Baptist
area_magnitude =
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area_total_km2 =
area_land_km2 = 1.181
area_water_km2 =
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area_urban_km2 = 26.4
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population_total = 399,723 hab.
population_density_km2 = 365
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timezone = (UTC-6)
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latd=01 |latm=10 |lats=00 |latNS=N
longd=77 |longm=16 |longs=00 |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 2.527
elevation_ft = 8.290
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 90-210
area_code = 092, 072, 052
blank_name =
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website = [http://www.pasto.gov.co www.pasto.gov.co]
footnotes =

Pasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8.290 feets (2.527 m) above sea level. The city has a population of approximately 450,000 inhabitants.

Economy

Pasto is the centre of an agricultural region specializing in the production of dairy products. The manufacturing of furniture is an important part of the local economy. The city is an important centre of commerce and trade with nearby Ecuador.

Carnival and arts

One of the most important events held by the city is the Blacks and Whites' Carnival ("Carnaval de Negros y Blancos " in Spanish), with outstanding displays of craftmanship in floats portraying legends and traditions, often mixed in with references to current political events in Colombia. During the carnival the city goes wild and unleashes all the joy it has bottled up all year. It is not advisable to wear your best clothes during this festival as during these celebrations people have fun painting each other's faces with cosmetics colors (skin safe and created for this special purpose) and throwing talcum powder and party foam. The carnival takes place from the 2th to the 6th of January each year.

A speciality of this region is a pre-Columbian art technique called "Barniz de Pasto", or Pasto Varnish in English. This uses a type of natural rubber (extracted from a tree called mopa-mopa) which is colored and then stretched over woodwork pieces; finally the skillful artisan uses a special knife to cut and create the many beautiful designs that characterise this artistic technique.

History

Pasto was originally founded in 1537 by the Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar, in 1539 the also Spanish conquistador Lorenzo de Aldana move the city to its actual location, and established there under the name "San Juan de Pasto". "Pasto" is a reference to the name of the indigenous people who inhabited the region at the arrival of the conquerors, the "Pastos", however the Atriz Valley was inhabited by the Quillacingas.

It has been an administrative, cultural and religious center of the region since colonial times, because of this, the city is known as the theological city of Colombia. During the Independence Wars against Spain Pasto was a royalist city unlike the rest of the country, so after gaining independence and because of its geographical location, it remained for long time isolated from the rest of the country which has resulted in the traditionalist attitude and cultural self-absorption of its people.

On June 25, 2006 Deportivo Pasto became the champion of the 1st division of soccer in Colombia.

Education

*University of Nariño

External links

* [http://www.pastorumba.com San Juan de Pasto:Fotos, chat, carnavales, rumba, chicas, amigos, tropicana]
* [http://www.travel-impressions.de/carnival/mask.htm Photos of the "Carnaval de Blancos y Negros"]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/crossburning/index.htm Culture of The Pastos]
* [http://www.banrep.gov.co/blaavirtual/boleti4/bol5/pasto.htm#llegó Pasto through the picture]
* [http://www.pasto.com San Juan de Pasto]
* [http://www.udenar.edu.co/ Universidad de Nariño]
* [http://www.umariana.edu.co/ Universidad Mariana]
* [http://www.travel-impressions.de/carnival/mask.htm Photos Carnaval de Negros Y Blancos Pasto]
* [http://www.alcaldiadepasto.gov.co/ Mayor's office]
* [http://www.ciudadsorpresa.com/ Ciudad Sorpresa]
* [http://www.deportivopasto.com/ Deportivo Pasto]
* [http://atk.8m.net/ Attake Massivo]
* [http://intranet.ingeominas.gov.co/pasto/ Pasto Volcanological and Seismological Observatory - INGEOMINAS]
* [http://www.banrep.gov.co/blaavirtual/humboldt/diario/diario37.htm Sobre el barniz de Pasto]
* [http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/COXX0023_c.html?force_units=1 Pasto Weather]
* [http://www.colombialink.com/01_INDEX/index_turismo/destinos/pasto.html Pasto, General]