El Espinal, Tolima
{{More sources needed|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Espinal
|native_name =
|nickname =
|motto =
|settlement_type = Municipality and town
|image_skyline = CatedralEspinalPequeña.JPG
|imagesize =
|image_caption =
|image_flag = Flag of El Espinal (Tolima).svg
|image_seal = Escudo_de_Espinal_(Tolima).svg
|image_map = Colombia - Tolima - Espinal.svg
|mapsize = 250px
|map_caption = Location of the municipality and town of El Espinal in the Tolima Department of Colombia.
|pushpin_map = Colombia
|pushpin_mapsize = 300
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Colombia
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Colombia}}
|subdivision_type1 = Department
|subdivision_name1 = Tolima Department
|subdivision_type2 =
|subdivision_name2 =
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Juan Carlos Tamayo
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = 1754
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 = 217
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_km2 =
|area_land_sq_mi =
|area_water_km2 =
|area_water_sq_mi =
|area_water_percent =
|area_urban_km2 = 9.2
|area_urban_sq_mi =
|area_metro_km2 =
|area_metro_sq_mi =
|population_as_of = 2018 census
|population_footnotes = [http://www.citypopulation.de/en/colombia/tolima/73268__el_espinal/ Citypopulation.de] Population of El Espinal municipality with localities
|population_total = 70494
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_density_sq_mi =
|population_metro =
|population_density_metro_km2 =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban = 50664
|population_density_urban_km2 = auto
|population_demonym = Espinaluno
|coordinates = {{coord|04|09|10|N|74|53|19|W|display=inline}}
|timezone = Colombia Standard Time
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|elevation_m = 323
|elevation_ft =
|area_code = +57 - 8
|website = [http://www.elespinal-tolima.gov.co/ Official website] {{in lang|es}}
|footnotes =
}}
Espinal is a Colombian municipality and town located in the Department of Tolima, 146 km southwest from Bogotá. It is the second most important town of the department and is the rice capital of the center of the country{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}. It is flanked by the Magdalena and Coello rivers. El Espinal is known for the manufacture of typical musical instruments and its cuisine is known for tamales and the suckling pig, which are the typical dishes of the region. It has a total area of 231 km2, an urban area of 4.26 km2, and a rural area of 212.74 km2.
The town is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Espinal.
Climate
Despite its low elevation, El Espinal has a temperate climate with abundant rainfall from March to May and from October to November. The increased solar radiation during these months due to the position of the sun increases temperatures in the jungle and favors the formation of storms in the mountainous areas. In contrast, the drier seasons of the year are from January to February and from July to August. Frost occurs in rural areas, mist is extremely rare, and 10 days out of the year are foggy. Historians report that between the years 1930 and 1940 there were many hailstorms{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}.
| class="wikitable" | |
| colspan="2" |Temperatures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum recorded temperature | align="right" | 47 °C |
| Mean maximum Temperature | align="right" | 32 °C |
| Average minimum Temperature | align="right" | 19 °C |
| Minimum recorded temperature | align="right" | 9 °C |
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = El Espinal (Nataima), elevation {{convert|431|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1981–2010)
|Jan high C = 32.9
|Feb high C = 33.1
|Mar high C = 32.6
|Apr high C = 31.8
|May high C = 31.6
|Jun high C = 32.0
|Jul high C = 33.3
|Aug high C = 34.7
|Sep high C = 33.8
|Oct high C = 32.0
|Nov high C = 31.4
|Dec high C = 31.8
| year high C = 32.6
|Jan mean C = 28.4
|Feb mean C = 28.5
|Mar mean C = 28.4
|Apr mean C = 27.7
|May mean C = 27.5
|Jun mean C = 27.7
|Jul mean C = 28.3
|Aug mean C = 29.4
|Sep mean C = 28.9
|Oct mean C = 27.8
|Nov mean C = 27.4
|Dec mean C = 27.6
| year mean C = 28.1
|Jan low C = 22.8
|Feb low C = 22.9
|Mar low C = 23.0
|Apr low C = 22.7
|May low C = 22.5
|Jun low C = 22.0
|Jul low C = 21.8
|Aug low C = 22.4
|Sep low C = 22.6
|Oct low C = 22.5
|Nov low C = 22.6
|Dec low C = 22.6
| year low C = 22.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 73.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 97.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 162.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 178.5
|May precipitation mm = 201.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 89.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 52.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 51.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 167.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 175.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 131.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 95.2
|year precipitation mm = 1474.7
| Jan precipitation days = 7
| Feb precipitation days = 9
| Mar precipitation days = 12
| Apr precipitation days = 16
| May precipitation days = 16
| Jun precipitation days = 10
| Jul precipitation days = 7
| Aug precipitation days = 6
| Sep precipitation days = 12
| Oct precipitation days = 16
| Nov precipitation days = 13
| Dec precipitation days = 10
| year precipitation days = 134
| Jan humidity = 69
| Feb humidity = 69
| Mar humidity = 70
| Apr humidity = 75
| May humidity = 76
| Jun humidity = 71
| Jul humidity = 63
| Aug humidity = 58
| Sep humidity = 64
| Oct humidity = 71
| Nov humidity = 75
| Dec humidity = 74
| year humidity = 70
|Jan sun = 192.2
|Feb sun = 160.9
|Mar sun = 161.2
|Apr sun = 153.0
|May sun = 170.5
|Jun sun = 174.0
|Jul sun = 195.3
|Aug sun = 201.5
|Sep sun = 180.0
|Oct sun = 176.7
|Nov sun = 168.0
|Dec sun = 179.8
|year sun =
|Jand sun = 6.2
|Febd sun = 5.7
|Mard sun = 5.2
|Aprd sun = 5.1
|Mayd sun = 5.5
|Jund sun = 5.8
|Juld sun = 6.3
|Augd sun = 6.5
|Sepd sun = 6.0
|Octd sun = 5.7
|Novd sun = 5.6
|Decd sun = 5.8
|yeard sun =
|source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web
|url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128
|archive-date=15 August 2016
|title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010
|publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales
|language=es
|access-date= 17 June 2024
|url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Chicoral, El Espinal, elevation {{convert|475|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1981–2010)
|Jan high C = 32.5
|Feb high C = 32.6
|Mar high C = 32.3
|Apr high C = 31.1
|May high C = 31.1
|Jun high C = 31.8
|Jul high C = 32.8
|Aug high C = 33.9
|Sep high C = 33.0
|Oct high C = 31.5
|Nov high C = 30.9
|Dec high C = 31.3
| year high C = 32.0
|Jan mean C = 27.6
|Feb mean C = 27.7
|Mar mean C = 27.6
|Apr mean C = 26.8
|May mean C = 26.8
|Jun mean C = 27.1
|Jul mean C = 27.6
|Aug mean C = 28.3
|Sep mean C = 27.9
|Oct mean C = 27.0
|Nov mean C = 26.8
|Dec mean C = 27.0
| year mean C = 27.4
|Jan low C = 22.7
|Feb low C = 22.5
|Mar low C = 22.6
|Apr low C = 22.1
|May low C = 21.8
|Jun low C = 21.5
|Jul low C = 21.2
|Aug low C = 22.0
|Sep low C = 22.3
|Oct low C = 21.9
|Nov low C = 22.2
|Dec low C = 22.3
| year low C = 22.1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 61.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 98.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 137.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 225.3
|May precipitation mm = 193.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 86.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 65.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 56.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 126.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 167.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 136.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 94.8
|year precipitation mm = 1449.6
| Jan precipitation days = 6
| Feb precipitation days = 8
| Mar precipitation days = 10
| Apr precipitation days = 15
| May precipitation days = 15
| Jun precipitation days = 8
| Jul precipitation days = 7
| Aug precipitation days = 6
| Sep precipitation days = 10
| Oct precipitation days = 14
| Nov precipitation days = 11
| Dec precipitation days = 8
| year precipitation days = 116
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 71
| Mar humidity = 72
| Apr humidity = 77
| May humidity = 77
| Jun humidity = 73
| Jul humidity = 68
| Aug humidity = 63
| Sep humidity = 67
| Oct humidity = 74
| Nov humidity = 76
| Dec humidity = 75
| year humidity = 72
|source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web
|url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128
|archive-date=15 August 2016
|title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010
|publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales
|language=es
|access-date= 17 June 2024
|url-status=dead}}
}}
Geography
2022 bullring collapse
{{Main|2022 Colombia stadium collapse}}
On June 26, 2022, several boxes of a bullring collapsed, causing the balance of approximately hundreds of people injured and 4 dead.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=El colapso de una tribuna de una plaza de toros en Colombia deja al menos cuatro muertos y cientos de heridos |url=https://elpais.com/america-colombia/2022-06-26/el-desplome-de-una-tribuna-de-una-plaza-de-toros-en-colombia-deja-al-menos-cuatro-muertos-y-decenas-de-heridos.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=El País |language=es-CO}} The images of the moment in which the flimsy wooden structures crowded with people collapse have given an account of the disaster that occurred during a corraleja, as the popular festivals are known in the country in which the public goes down to the arena to face several bulls. In a corraleja, unlike other styles of bullfighting, the bulls are not killed at the end of the fight, but due to the informal nature of the event, it can lead to serious accidents.{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Hannah |date=2013-03-26 |title=Man Dies After Being Gored in Heart at Colombia Bullfighting Festival |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/colombia-bullfight-corraleja-man-gored-heart-two-450390 |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=International Business Times UK |language=en}}
Then president-elect, Gustavo Petro (who in his presidential campaign spoke against shows involving animal, including bullfighting),{{Cite web |last=Palomino |first=Sally |date=2022-11-02 |title=La prohibición de las corridas de toros en Colombia vuelve a hundirse en el Congreso |url=https://elpais.com/america-colombia/2022-11-02/la-prohibicion-de-las-corridas-de-toros-en-colombia-vuelve-a-hundirse-en-el-congreso.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=El País América Colombia |language=es-CO}} spoke on Twitter, stating that "I hope that all the people affected by the collapse of the Plaza de El Espinal can get out of their wounds", and that "this had already happened in Sincelejo" while shared an aerial video showing the collapse of the plaza.{{cite tweet|number=1541138473532493826|user=petrogustavo|title=I hope that all the people affected by the collapse of the Plaza de El Espinal can come out of their wounds with flying colors. This had already happened before in Sincelejo. I ask the mayors not to authorize more shows with the death of people or animals.|author=Gustavo Petro|date=June 26, 2022|access-date=December 26, 2022}} The outgoing president, Iván Duque, who was in Portugal at the time, lamented the "terrible tragedy" and stated that he would request an investigation into the events.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=Colombia: al menos 4 muertos y 30 heridos graves tras derrumbe de palcos en plaza de toros de El Espinal, Tolima |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/06/26/colombia-se-reportan-cientos-heridos-derrumbe-palcos-plaza-de-toros-el-espinal-tolima-trax/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=CNN |language=es}} The outgoing Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez also regretted the events, and criticized the lack of security in the place. The governor of Tolima, Ricardo Orozco, confirmed that among the four deceased were two women, a man and a minor, while the injured numbered from 30 to close to 300. He also anticipated that he will request "the suspension of all these kinds of parties [which are] the corralejas", alleging that the events "attack life" and encourage "animal abuse". The issue of bullfighting has been controversial and problematic in Colombia in recent years.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-27 |title=¿En qué países siguen siendo legales las corridas de toros? |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/06/27/paises-corridas-toros-legales-orix/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=CNN |language=es}}
The tragedy opened a new debate on the legality and safety of the coralejas and bullfights throughout the country, as well as animal cruelty.{{Cite web |last=de 2022 |first=1 de Septiembre |title=Prohibición de las corridas de toros pasó en su primer debate en la Cámara |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/colombia/2022/09/01/prohibicion-de-las-corridas-de-toros-paso-en-su-primer-debate-en-la-camara/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=infobae |language=es-ES}}{{Cite web |last=Semana |date=2022-12-15 |title=A las 2 de la mañana y con los votos estrictamente necesarios, se aprobó en segundo debate el proyecto para prohibir las corridas de toros |url=https://www.semana.com/politica/articulo/senado-aprobo-esta-madrugada-la-ley-que-prohibe-el-maltrato-animal-en-colombia/202257/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo |language=spanish}}
Economy
Its economy is based on agriculture, especially rice and other products such as cotton, sorghum, soybean, maize, and tobacco among others. It also includes enterprises from other sectors, including mills, which generate a high percentage of employment in the city.{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Municipalities tolima department}}
{{coord|4|12|N|74|50|W|display=title|region:CO_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki}}