Envigado () is a town southeast of Medellín, Colombia in the department of Antioquia. It is located in the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley. It borders El Poblado, Medellín to the north, Sabaneta to the south, El Retiro and Caldas to the east, and Itagüí to the west. Envigado is known for maintaining the traditions of the Paisa Region and for its architecture. It also has one of the highest standards of living in Colombia and according to the Colombian magazine Semana, it has the lowest rate in the country of, what the magazine calls, “people with unmet basic needs”. Its recent history is closely associated with Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel. Despite its connection with Escobar, the Aburrá Valley now has one of the lowest homicide rates in Colombia: 6 for every 100,000 people, Envigado is the hometown of the Colombian writer and philosopher Fernando González. His house, Otraparte, today is a cultural center and museum dedicated to his memory and works. Demographics The population in the 1993 census was 115,484 inhabitants, and in 2012, it had a population of 199,276. In 2013, Envigado was estimated to have a total population of 212,437 according to a projection from a 2018 DANE census. Envigado's demonym is "Envigadeño." History Envigado was founded in 1775 and was declared a municipality in 1814. The founders were José Antonio Isaza y Atuesta, Lucas de Ochoa y Tirado, and Vicente Restrepo. Some researchers suggest that its name comes from the large trees that were once found there and which were used for the rafters (vigas) in constructing houses. Spaniards in search of gold arrived in the Aburrá Valley for the first time in August of the year 1541. They left only a month after to continue their quest for gold, but returned 90 years later, at the beginning of the 17th century, to stay. The rural Envigado was inhabited by wealthy Spanish families, which lived in prosperous residences that produced nourishment for Antioquia for about 150 years. The urban Envigado only appeared after 1775 with the creation of the Santa Gertrudis Parish, which is now in the center of Downtown Envigado known as "El Parque de Envigado." On July 10, 2016 Envigado became part of the Metropolitan Area, which brings together the other nine municipalities of the region - Caldas, La Estrella, Sabaneta, Itagüí, Medellín, Bello, Copacabana, Girardota, Barbosa. Economy Manufacturing is the