Santa Isabel, Tolima


Santa Isabel is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia. The population of the municipality was 6,220 as of the 1993 census.
WWW Official Site

History

Santa Isabel was founded on 12 September 1893, originally as Tolda de María. It was later renamed after Elizabeth of Hungary, the patron saint of the then-Presbyter of Madrid. Initial settlers were primarily hunters from nearby Venadillo, with later immigration waves including loggers and those displaced by local conflict, the majority of whom were Paisa. In 1897, Santa Isabel was designated as a corregimiento under Venadillo, becoming a municipality by order of the Tolima Department Assembly in 1904.

Economy

Santa Isabel is considered a breadbasket of northern Tolima, being known for its pea production. Other crops include plantain, tamarillo, coffee, sugar cane, corn, potato, and blackberry. Besides the regionally commmon animal husbandry, a small mining industry was maintained since the municipality's founding.