| Choachí | |
| Native Name: | Chiguachí |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality and town |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Colombia |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Colombia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Colombia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Department |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Eastern Province |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Álvaro Gutiérrez Pardo (2016–2019) |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 29 September 1560 |
| Founder: | Antonio Bermúdez |
| Area Total Km2: | 223 |
| Area Urban Km2: | 10.4 |
| Population As Of: | 2015 |
| Population Total: | 10729 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 3615 |
| Coordinates: | 4.5297°N -73.9236°W |
| Timezone: | Colombia Standard Time |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Elevation M: | 1923 |
| Website: | Official website |
Choachí is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Eastern Province of the department of Cundinamarca. The municipality borders La Calera in the north, Ubaque in the south, in the east Fómeque and westward of Choachí is the Colombian capital Bogotá. The town centre is located at 38km (24miles) from the centre of the capital.[1] Within the boundaries of Choachí the Páramo de Cruz Verde is situated.
The name Choachí is derived from the original name in Chibcha: Chi-gua-chí, which means "Our Mountain of the Moon". The Muisca had a strong lunar cult and worshipped the goddess of the Moon, Chía in various places across their territories. It is believed that in Choachí a place of worship to the Moon was located.[1]
Choachí is home to the tallest waterfall in Colombia, La Chorrera, which has a height of 590 m (~1940 ft).[2]
The area of Choachí was inhabited by the southern Muisca, part of the Muisca Confederation ruled by the zipa of Bacatá. The modern foundation of the town was early in the Spanish conquest of the Muisca, in 1560, by Antonio Bermúdez, a conquistador who arrived as part of the army of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. In 1601 a parish was constructed in Choachí.[1]
Between the 17th and 19th century the original indigenous population almost completely perished.[1]
Main economical activities in Choachí are agriculture, livestock farming. Also tourism, mainly from the capital, is a source of income for the local people.[1]
In the area of Choachí Cretaceous sandstones and the organic-rich shales of the Fómeque Formation are outcropping.[1]
In the first half of the 20th century within Choachí the Choachí Stone has been found, possibly in a grave. The stone, carved in lydite may represent the Muisca calendar, a complex lunisolar calendar used by the Muisca.[3] Also petroglyphs have been discovered in Choachí.