DEPARTMENTS UBICATED IN THE ORINOQUIA REGION

ARAUCA 

 

Capital: Arauca 

Established: July 4th, 1991

Population: 208.605

Area: 23,818 km2 (9,196.2 sq mi)

Density: 8.8/km2 (22.7/sq mi)

It limits to the north with the Arauca River that separates it from Venezuela, to the east with Venezuela, to the south with the departments of Vichada and Casanare, and to the west with Boyacá. It consists of seven municipalities: Arauca , Arauquita, Cravo Norte, Fortul, Puerto Rondón, Saravena and Tame.

History

The first conqueror to arrive was Nicholas Araucanian lands Federman in the year 1539, accompanied by George of Speyer, passing through the eastern mountains. In 1659, the mission moved into the forest in tribal lands Guahibos, TuneBase, Aeric and Chirico, where they founded new towns.

In the eighteenth century, being expelled from the Jesuits, being Viceroy Pedro Mesia de la Zerda, were succeeded in their mission of evangelization by the Augustinian Recollect, who founded five centers catechists: Solitude of Cravo, Cuiloto San Javier, San Jose del Ele, Lipa San Joaquin and San Fernando de Arauca.

In 1810 the Araucanian territory became part of the newly created province of Casanare, in 1819 became part of the department of Cundinamarca, and thereafter, by the year 1857 was annexed to the Sovereign State of Boyacá, later to be so Boyaca department. In 1891 he created the Arauca police station and had the chief executive of General Pedro Leon Acosta. By decree 113 of January 20, 1955, the territory was elevated to national quartermaster, and finally with the Constitution, 5 July 1991 as a department erected along with other municipal and City comisarías. Arauca is the regional capital since 1911.

Ethnography

• Mestizo of mixed European-Amerindian backgrounds (could be over half or 60%) and White/unmixed European (about 33-35%) totalled at 93.70%.

• Black or Afro-Colombians (4.07%).

• Amerindian or Indigenous (2.22%).

• Roma (0.01%).

• Asian (0.01%).

There are few numbers of descendants of European immigrants: the Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French, British, Dutch, Polish, Greek and Arab (i.e. Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian).

Many Venezuelan-born nationals live in the department, but around 10-15% of the population are from Venezuela.

Indigenous Population

The department's total indigenous population amounts to 3591 people. Its territory is located 26 guards in an area of 128,167 hectares. Here are 6 indigenous peoples, with the following people: U'wa (1124 members), Betoyes (800 members), Sikuani (782 members), Hitnü(441 members), Kuiba (241 members), Hitanü (110 members), Chiricoa  (63 members) and Piapoco (30 members).

• U'wa: The predominant ethnic group in the department. They are located in the north eastern abutment of the Cordillera Oriental, to the Nevado del Cocuy. Those people belong to the Chibcha linguistic family. Its name means "intelligent people who can speak". 

• Betoyes: by its people constitute the largest ethnic group in the department. Living on the River Cravo and the municipality of Tame. The area of its territory is 702 hectares. Its population is estimated at 800 people. Their language comes from the Chibcha language family. Although not retain their original language, speak a Betoyes mixed with Spanish, where they remain certain grammatical structures of this. 

• Guahibos: appellation by which they are known Sikuani, Kuiba, Chiricoa, Hitanü (iguana) and Hitnü (Macaguane), who speak languages Guajiboan.

Economy

Its economy is based on the oil industry. The soils of the region have shown good conditions for growing cacao, banana, cassava, rice, corn and fruit trees, as well as industrial crops such as African palm, sorghum, soybeans and sesame. Livestock is another important item in the department's economy.

CASANARE 

Capital: Yopal

Established: July 4th, 1991

Population: 282,452

Area: 44,640 km2 (17,235.6 sq mi)

Density: 6.3/km2 (16.4/sq mi)

It limits to the north with Arauca, to the east and the south with Meta and to the west with Boyacá.

It consists of nineteen municipalities: Aguazul, Chameza, Hato Corozal, La Salina, Maní, Monterrey, Nunchía, Orocue, Paz de Ariporo, Pore, Recetor, Sabanalarga, Sacama, San Luis de Palenque, Tamara, Tauramena, Trinidad, Villanueva and Yopal.

History

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the territory of Casanare was inhabited by diverse indigenous groups such as the guahibos and tunebos.

The conquest and occupation of the territory was carried out from the XVI century along the whole colonial period. In 1588 the first capital called Santiago de las Atalayas was found.

During the XVIII century the Jesuit contributed to the foundation of several municipalities in the department, as Mani, Támara, Tauramena and Trinidad. During the confrontations that drove to the independence, the llaneros participated actively in the wars that occurred in their territory. By the middle of the XX century, during the period of violence that the country lived, arrived emigrants from the departments of Boyacá and Santander. At that time there were consolidated several municipalities as it was the case of Monterrey and San Luis de Palenque.

Economy

The economy is sustained in the agriculture, the cattle raising and the exploitation of petroleum. The residents cultivate coffee, yucca, corn, fruit-bearing, cocoa, rice, banana, sugar cane, cotton, African palm, sorghum and vegetables in the municipalities of Monterrey, Villanueva, Aguazul, Támara, San Luis de Palenque, Sácama, Orocué and Pore. The cattle raising has two purposes: the production of meat and milk, and it is developed in the municipalities of Villanueva, Trinidad, Tauramena, San Luis de Palenque, Támara and Nunchía, among others. The exploitation of petroleum is carried out in the municipalities of Aguazul and Tauramena.

META 

Capital: Villavicencio

Established: July 1st, 1960

Population: 789,276

Area: 85,635 km2 (33,063.9 sq mi)

Density: 9.2/km2 (23.9/sq mi)

It limits to the north with the departments of Cundinamarca and Casanare, to the east with Vichada, to the south with the departments of Guaviare and Caquetá, and to the west with the departments of Caquetá and Huila. It consists of twenty nine municipalities: Acacias, Barranca de Upia, Cabuyaro, Castilla la Nueva, El Calvario, El. Castillo, El Dorado, Fuente de Oro, Guamal, La Macarena, La Uribe, Lejanías, Mapiripán, Mesetas, Puerto Concordia, Puerto Gaitan, Puerto Lleras, Puerto Lopez, Puerto Rico, Restrepo, San Carlos de Guaroa, San Juan de Arama, San Juanito, Granada, Vista Hermosa, San Martin, Cubarral, Cumaral, Villavicencio.

History

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the department was inhabited by the indigenous Guahibos, Huitotos, Piapocos, family members of Caribe and Arawak. Today some of these communities still survive. The conquest and occupation of the territory was carried out since 1531, when Diego de Ordás made his first incursion in the territory. He was followed by Alonso de Herrera, Nicolás Federmann and Hernán Pérez de Quesada.

This territory formed part of the departments of Boyacá and Cundinamarca. From 1867 it was national territory, and in 1909 it was declared intendency until 1959 when it became a department.

Economy

People work in the cattle raising, the agriculture and as merchants. After the department was colonized in the last decades of the XX century, the colonists started to exploit the natural resources. However, the peasants and colonists cultivate rice, sorghum, corn, sugar cane, banana, yucca, cocoa and cotton in the municipalities of Acacías, Barranca de Upía, Cumaral, El Castillo, Granada and Mesetas what makes them one of the main producers of these products in Colombia.

The cattle raising, the production of milk and meat, is an activity developed mainly in San Martin, Cabuyaro, Granada, Puerto López and Puerto Gaitán. The forest exploitation is carried out in La Uribe, La Macarena and Lejanias.

 VICHADA

 

Capital: Puerto Carreño

Established: July 5th, 1991

Population: 97,276

Area: 100,242 km2 (38,703.7 sq mi)

Density: 1/km2 (2.5/sq mi)

It limits to the north with the departments of Casanare and Meta and with Venezuela, to the east with Venezuela, to the south with the departments of Guainía and Guaviare, and to the west with Meta.

It consists of four municipalities: Cumaribo, La Primavera, Puerto Carreño, Santa Rosalia 

History

In 1913 the government of Colombia created the commissary of Vichada and the capital was established in a locality known as El Picacho between the Meta and Orinoco rivers. The town was named Puerto Carreño in honor of Pedro María Carreño, then acting Minister of Government.

In August 1974, Puerto Carreño was elevated to the category of municipality by decree 1594 of that same year. Besides, on July 5, 1991 Vichada was elevated to the category of department and Puerto Carreño as its capital. 

Economy 

The economy of the department is based on the government services, the extensive cattle raising and the extractive activities. The natural National Park El Tuparro, the center Gaviotas and the project Marandúa, besides of being huge touristic attractions they constitute the projects to improve the people´s quality of life in this department