Manta borders to the north Tibiritá, to the west Machetá, to the south Gachetá and to the east Guateque and Guayatá of the department of Boyacá.

The first inhabitants, indigenous Muisca, settled in pre-Columbian times, around the plateau of the current town centre, which was once a small lake.

According to the founding myth in the center of the lake was an island, which was sighted in the image of San Joaquín, a name that means the actual building of the Catholic church.

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Manta was part of the domains and boundaries of the Muisca Confederation, but after the conquest, the indigenous inhabitants were displaced to the neighboring municipality of Tibiritá.

The constitution of the United States of Colombia created conflicts between federalist and centralist groups, and between conservatives and liberals in the late nineteenth century.

After that, Daniel Aldana was removed from office and Cundinamarca became a Federal District by Decree 769 of November 7, 1885, and Gen. Jaime Córdoba would be named governor.

At the top of the mountain, is the Laguna del Cerro ("Lake of the Hill"), which has been established as a nature reserve area of the municipality.

Despite being affected by the phenomenon of El Niño and in most of Colombia, in the storms and heavy rain periods of La Niña the weather of Manta remains drier compared to the region of the Bogotá savanna.

The lake El Golpe is located at 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) above sea level and has become a nature reserve next to adjacent native forest and Cerro de la Petaca.