Risaralda Department
Risaralda is located in the center-west of the country, in the Andean region. Its capital is Pereira. There you will see two mountain ranges separated by the Cauca River.
The department of Risaralda is located in the center-west of the country, in the Andean region. Its capital is Pereira.
It borders the north with Antioquia, the east with Caldas and Tolima, the south with Quindío and Valle del Cauca, and the west with Chocó.
It is situated at 4°39′ and 5°30′ north latitude and 75°23′ and 76°8′ west of Greenwich.
It belongs to the Coffee Region and the Paisa Region.
It is bordered by the Central and Western mountain ranges, the Central range exceeds 4,500m in the snow-capped peaks of Santa Isabel and Quindío, and the Western range reaches 4,000m in Cerro Tatama; the two mountain ranges are separated by the Cauca River canyon.
IMPORTANT DATA
CAPITAL
PEREIRA
POPULATION
967,780
GENTILICIO
RISARALDENSE
SURFACE AREA
4,140 km²
GOVERNOR
Juan Diego Patiño Ochoa
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Map of the Department of Risaralda
Follow the municipalities of Risaralda located on the map:
Map by: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
SUBREGIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RISARALDA
The department of Risaralda has 3 subregions named below:
- Eastern
- Western
- Pacific
MUNICIPALITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RISARALDA
The department of Risaralda has 14 municipalities listed below in their respective subregions:
Eastern
- Dosquebradas
- La virginia
- Marsella
- Pereira
- Santa Rosa de Cabal
Western
- Apía
- Balboa
- Belén de Umbría
- Guática
- La Celia
- Quinchía
- Santuario
Pacific
- Mistrató
- Pueblo Rico
HISTORY
This area was populated by the Quimbayas who inhabited the Central Mountain Range, their craftsmanship was based on goldsmithing and pottery.
In the Cauca River, other independent tribes were located, such as the gorrones, skilled navigators. The first conqueror to enter this region was Sebastián de Belalcazar, then Jorge Robledo arrived, who founded the settlements of Mistrató and Cartago.
RELIEF
It is a broken territory, delineated by the Western and Central mountain ranges, in the latter the heights are considerable, it has a flat part in Risaralda.
It has a tourist center called "El Parque Nacional de los Nevados" one of the highest snow-capped peaks is that of Santa Isabel with 4,900 meters.
HYDROGRAPHY
The most important rivers are the Cauca and its tributaries the Risaralda and the Otún, in addition to having the upper course of the San Juan.
CLIMATE
It has a temperature of 21°C and an annual precipitation of 20,750 mm, which makes it suitable for coffee production.
ECONOMY
It is one of the main coffee producers since its production index reaches 70.7% of the national one.
The industry's production focuses on leather and fur, as well as beverages, textiles, clothing, wood, paper, and by-products such as printing, chemicals, rubber, plastics, glass, metals, machinery, equipment, and transportation materials.
It is a place where large industries have developed at the national level.
NATURAL RESERVES
Pereira is the tourist center of the department in this region, there are numerous sources of thermal waters; one very representative is Santa Rosa de Cabal and Marsella as stepped vaults painted red and white, adorned with yellow flowers and the Botanical Garden.
The Nevado National Park, currently declared a red zone due to the activity of the Nevado del Ruiz.
Another place of great splendor is the Nevado de Santa Isabel with 4,900 meters above sea level and the nearby lakes Santa Isabel, Leona, and Otún.
HYMN
Lyrics: Luis Carlos Gonzáles Mejía
Music: Laureano Betancurth Chavarro
CHORUS
Hail, powerful fusion of civic spirit, arm, and mountain
that forged with ancestral clay immortal profiles of statues.
Risaralda with a noble breed,
will fulfill -I swear to God- its word
in a tenacious journey without fatigue,
and in a permanent function of the Fatherland.
I
Faithful sprout of a peasant stock
in the nurseries of Caldas' towns,
conquering future and space
for the captive flight in its wings,
an initial dawn of February
arrogantly emerged Risaralda,
with honest hope of furrow and
rumor of prayers and forge.
II
It was not hatred that destroyed everything
aggressive reason of its cause;
it was the desire to see the seed
converted into golden abundance
and the triumphant flag
that in fraternal embrace formed
its fourteen shining stars
on the map and plow.
III
More justice, more peace, more work,
more culture, more light, and teaching
and more firewood to fuel the flame
of the humble cabin's industrious fire,
is the natural law that pursues
as the final goal of its march,
sculpting its young history with
pride, tenacity, and confidence.
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