Vaupés Department

The Vaupés Department is located in the Amazon region, Amazonia, its capital is Mitú.

It borders to the north with the Guaviare and Guainía departments, to the east with Brazil, to the south with the Amazonas department and to the west with the Caquetá department.

It is situated between 2°6′ of north latitude and 1°10′ of south latitude, and 69°10′ and 71°53′ of west longitude from Greenwich.

With approximately 44,928 inhabitants, it is the second least populated department

Along with Guaviare and Guainía, it formed the old territory of the Gran Vaupés. Most of its inhabitants are indigenous. The Apaporis River forms its border with the Amazonas and Caquetá departments.

IMPORTANT DATA

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CAPITAL

MITÚ

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INHABITANTS

44,928

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GENTILICIO

VAUPENSE

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SURFACE AREA

54,135 km²

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GOVERNOR

Luis Alfredo Gutiérrez García

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OFFICIAL WEBSITE

www.vaupes.gov.co

Vaupés Department Map

Following are the municipalities of Vaupés located on the map:

Map by: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

MUNICIPALITIES OF VAUPÉS

The Vaupés Department has 3 municipalities:

• Carurú
• Mitú
• Taraira

and three non-municipalized areas:

• Pacoa
• Papunaua
• Yavaraté

HISTORY

Since 1540, missionaries have been in this territory attracted by the indigenous people. It was created in 1910. Until 1936, the capital of Vaupés was Calamar, but it was changed to Mitú. The municipality was founded by Miguel Cuervo Araoz in 1936.

RELIEF

Its topography is almost flat and is located within the Amazon rainforest, interrupted by a series of elevations, including the mesetas or terraces of Cibiyú, Carurú and Yambí, and the hills of Japín, Camarao, Omudo and Tipiaca.

HYDROGRAPHY

Numerous rivers flow through its lands, standing out for their extension and flow, the rivers Cananari, Mayaca, Papunaua, Papauri, Pira Paraná, Querary, Taraira and Vaupés.

CLIMATE

The Vaupés Department is a tropical territory with a warm and humid climate, and its temperature is approximately 28° C

ECONOMY

Its economy is of subsistence, the Vaupés Department lives from fishing, cattle ranching, indigenous handicrafts, agriculture planting rice and cacao, and by plane, batata and sarrapia are commercialized, a little exploitation of rubber and medicinal, oily and textile plants.

NATURAL RESERVES

In the Vaupés Department, there are natural reserves such as the Yurupari accident, the Jirijirimo rapids, the beach rapids, and the Taraira lagoon.

HIMNO

Lyrics: Monseñor Gerardo Valencia Cano

Music: Monseñor Gerardo Valencia Cano

CHORUS

Vaupés, Vaupés wild land
Of the jungle and the rapids
Vaupés, Vaupés in your waters
one hears the sound of a bugle call
Vaupés, Vaupés do not seek you
those who do not know how to fight,
who always enter your jungle
with courage
and your rivers with bravery and your heart with faith.

I

I am a son of the jungle,
a brother of the toucan
my quiver is abundant in arrows
and the hevea the siringal.

II

I am a toucan of the jungle, it is mine
and I love you with fury
I could die for you
and I die for your honor.