The Eastern Plains
VICHADA
Inhabitant: Vichadense
The Vichadense territory is part of the
Orinoquía Colombiana, or The Eastern Plains. It is bordered in the north by the departments of Arauca, Casanare and Republic of Venezuela, which also borders it in the east. It is bordered in the south by the departments of Guainía and Guaviare and in the west by Meta and Casanare.
It has a surface area of 100,242 square kilometres and an average altitude of about 160 meters above sea level. It became a department in 1991.
Vichada has nearly 94,000 inhabitants. Most of its population is rural (83.7 per cent). The great majority are native descendants from the Guahibo and Arawak tribes and part of the territory was declared a native reserve.
The rest of the population are settlers from other parts of the country.
In northeast Vichada the climate is hot and quite dry. Towards the south, the humidity increases and the vegetation is vibrant. The rainy season extends from April to October and the dry season is between December and February.
The department's main communications network is constituted by severeal rivers on the Orinoco slope, such as the Meta, the Tomo and the Vichada rivers with their tributaries and the fast-flowing Guaviare river, which marks the border with the departments of Guainía and Guaviare.
Services, cattle breeding and fishing are Vichada's main economic activities.
Other sources of wealth are iron, titanium and quartz mining and the extraction of fibre from the Chiquichiqui palm, used to manufacture several handicrafts and products made of rubber.
Vichada has a great variety of wild animals. Its spectacular biodiversity attracts thousands of tourists.
Capital: Puerto Carreño
This town was founded in 1922 and became a municipality in 1974. Its population is approximately 10,000.
It is situated where the rivers Meta and Orinoco meet.
It is a little welcoming town and an important livestock and commercial exchange centre between Colombia and Venezuela.
Its inhabitants are dedicated mainly to commerce, manufacturing crafts and fishing.
Among the main attractions are the famous torrents of Maipures, Tuparro National Park and the islands and beaches of the Orinoco river to the south of the capital city.
Español
Français
