Department of Caquetá

The department of Caquetá is located in the Colombian Amazon. Its capital is Florencia and can be found in the south of the country.

It borders to the north with the departments of Meta, Guaviare, to the east with Vaupés, to the south with Amazonas and Putumayo, and to the west with Cauca and Huila.

Its astronomical position is between 0°40′ of south latitude and 2°5′ of north latitude, and between 71°30′ and 76°15′ of western longitude.

It is one of the most extensive departments in Colombia, surpassed only by Amazonas and Vichada, although it is one of the least populated in the country.

Many areas of the department of Caquetá are virgin and have been explored until recently, to the point that a new species of titi monkey was recently found there.

IMPORTANT DATA

---

CAPITAL

FLORENCIA

---

INHABITANTS

483,834

---

GENTILICIO

CAQUETEÑO OR CAQUETENSE

---

SURFACE AREA

88,965 km²

---

GOVERNOR

Luis Francisco Ruiz Aguilar

---

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

www.caqueta.gov.co

Map of the Department of Caquetá

Below are the municipalities of Caquetá located on the map:

Map by: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

MUNICIPALITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CAQUETÁ

The department of Caquetá has 16 municipalities which are:

• Albania
• Belén de los Andaquíes
• Cartagena del Chairá
• Curillo
• El Doncello
• El Paujil
• Florencia
• La Montañita
• Morelia
• Puerto Milán
• Puerto Rico
• San José del Fragua
• San Vicente del Caguán
• Solano
• Solita
• Valparaíso

HISTORY

During the pre-Hispanic period, it was inhabited by some indigenous groups, of which today only the coreguajes and huitotos remain.

The first Spanish expeditions arrived in these lands in 1541; in 1819 this territory was part of Huila, in 1821 part of Cundinamarca, in 1905 part of Huila, Cauca, and Tolima, to acquire autonomy as a commissary in 1912, then as an intendancy in 1950 and finally as a department in 1981.

RELIEF

This area of the country is mostly flat, cut by elevations of 3000 msnm such as the peaks of Fragua, Araracuara, the Cumare, Paramillo, and Miraflores Gabinete hills; the Araracuara, La Peña mountain ranges; Mesa de Iguaje; the Paso de la Ceja and the Chiribiquete mountain range.

HYDROGRAPHY

It is a privileged department in terms of water sources, since it is bathed by the Caquetá River, the most important river in the area.

Other rivers that run through the department are: Fragua Grande, Orteguaza, Caguán, Yarí, Apaporis, Tunia, Unilla, and Ajaju, etc.

CLIMATE

The department of Caquetá has a climate typical of altitude in the west, given the presence of the Eastern mountain range, and a tropical rainy climate in the east.

ECONOMY

The department is covered with forests and favors the non-intensive exploitation of wood; the fertility of the Caquetá soil favors the production of pastures for livestock, the main economic sector in the area, followed by fishing; in the agricultural aspect, there is not much production, rescuing a minimal production of corn, banana, cassava, rice, bean, sorghum, peanut, cacao, sugarcane, African palm, and coffee.

Regarding mining, the production of asphalt, coal, marble, salt, lime, mica, alum, copper, gypsum, granite, and especially oil stands out.

The industry is incipient, represented by the liquor factory, threshing machines, tube factories, etc.

NATURAL RESERVES

There are two natural reserves in the department:

• The Chiribiquete National Natural Park
• The Los Picachos National Natural Park: this has an area of 286 thousand hectares.

ANTHEM

LYRICS:

Ismael Ricardo Téllez Valenzuela

MUSIC: Ismael Ricardo Téllez Valenzuela

CHORUS

Caquetá, pride of Colombia
Caquetá, progress and well-being
Caquetá, you are all harmony
Caquetá, beautiful immortal land.
Your cities, your forests, and your rivers,
Like your beautiful capital
Are cheered by the birds with their trills
Surrounding your tropical environment.

I

Let's remember the eminent colonizers
Who with sweat knew how to form
An empire of riches that we have
Caquetá, very worthy of love.

II

Let's also appreciate the realities
That demonstrate progress without equal
And in unison with martial songs
Let's say always: great Caquetá

III

Oh! Brave first settlers
They left us honor and courage
And their children, the colonizers
We invoke their memory with love

IV

Let's remember the eminent colonizers
Who with sweat knew how to form
An empire of riches that we have
Caquetá, very worthy of love

V

Let's also appreciate the realities
That demonstrate progress without equal
And in unison with martial songs
Let's say always: great Caquetá