Why was the high plateau of the Cordillera Oriental important to early Colombian civilizations?

The high plateau of the Cordillera Oriental was the most favorable location for the growth of civilization in pre-conquest Colombia, serving as the primary center for the Chibcha people.12

Its importance was rooted in several key factors:

• Agricultural Suitability: The plateau, which includes the Sabana de Bogotá, features former lake beds with fertile soils that were well-suited for the intensive agriculture necessary to support dense populations.132
• Climate and Geography: Unlike the narrower, rugged portions of the Cordillera Central or the deep mountain valleys where terrain often limited settlement, the high plateau provided a stable, expansive environment that allowed for the development of large villages.12
• Population Concentration: Because of these favorable conditions, the region attracted the bulk of the population in the western mountainous part of the country. At the time of the Spanish conquest, it is estimated that approximately one-third of the total Indigenous population in Colombia were Chibcha-speaking peoples living in this area.12

This concentration of people and resources facilitated the development of organized religion, class divisions, and complex political structures among the Chibcha.12