Pasto
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2008-06-28T05:56:23Z
Agualongo
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{{About|the colombian city|the Babasónicos album|Pasto (album)}}
{{Infobox Settlement
|name = Pasto
|official_name = San Juan de Pasto
|settlement_type = City
|native_name =
|nickname = ''Ciudad Sorpresa'' (Surprise City)<br> ''Ciudad Teológica'' (Theological City)<br> ''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)<br> ''"Viva Pasto, Carajo!"'' (Go Pasto, Carajo!)
|image_skyline = San Juan de Pasto de noche.jpg
|imagesize = 250px
|image_caption = Sunset at Pasto (Galeras Volcano at bottom)
|image_flag = Flag of Pasto.svg
|flag_size = 100px
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield = Escudo de Armas de San Juan de Pasto.jpg
|shield_size = 100px
|city_logo =
|citylogo_size =
|image_map = MunsNarino Pasto.png
|mapsize = 250px
|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 = [[Departments of Colombia|Department]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Nariño Department|Nariño]]
|subdivision_type2 =
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|government_footnotes =
|government_type = [[Municipalities of Colombia|Municipality]]
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = [[Eduardo Alvarado Santander]]
|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
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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 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3 =
|named_for = [[Saint John the Baptist]]
|area_magnitude =
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|area_footnotes =
|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)
|utc_offset =
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|latd=01 |latm=10 |lats=00 |latNS=N
|longd=77 |longm=16 |longs=00 |longEW=W
|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
|elevation_m = 2.527
|elevation_ft = 8.290
|postal_code_type = Postal code
|postal_code = 90-210
|area_code = 092, 072, 052
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|website = [http://www.pasto.gov.co www.pasto.gov.co]
|footnotes =
}} <!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Pasto''', officially '''San Juan de Pasto''', is the capital of the [[Departments of Colombia|department]] of [[Nariño]], located in southwest [[Colombia]]. The city is located in the "[[Atriz Valley]]", on the [[Andes]] [[mountain range|cordillera]], at the foot of the [[Galeras]] [[volcano]], at an altitude of 8.290 [[feet]]s (2.527 [[metre]]s) 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 [[talc|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 [[Spain|Spanish]] [[conquistador]] [[Sebastián de Belalcázar]], in 1539 the also [[Spain|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 [[Quillacinga]]s.
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 [[traditional]]ist 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.
[[Image:Pasto 20060106 001.jpg|thumbnail|[[Carnival]] [[Float (parade)|float]] Pasto, Colombia]]
<!---[[image:Barniz_de_Pasto_091705_002.jpg|thumbnail|Barniz de Pasto]]-->
[[Image:Galerasvolcanonearpasto.png|thumb|right|250px|the ''Galeras Volcano''', Aerial image by [[NASA]] showing activity. City of [[Pasto]] on the right.]]
==Education==
*[[University of Nariño]]
==External links==
{{Wikitravel}}
*[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]
{{Municipalities narino department}}
[[Category:Pasto| ]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1539]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Colombia]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Nariño]]
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