| Department of Vichada Departamento del Vichada |
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| — Department — | |||
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| Motto: Tierra de hombres para hombres sin tierra Land of men for men without land[1] |
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| Vichada shown in red | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Colombia | ||
| Region | Orinoquía Region | ||
| Established | July 5, 1991 | ||
| Capital | Puerto Carreño | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 100,242 km2 (38,703.7 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 2 | ||
| Population (2005)[2] | |||
| • Total | 97,276 | ||
| • Rank | 31 | ||
| • Density | 1/km2 (2.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-05 | ||
| ISO 3166 code | CO-VIC | ||
| Provinces | |||
| Municipalities | 4 | ||
| Website | www.gobvichada.gov.co | ||
Vichada (Spanish: Departamento del Vichada) is a department of the Republic of Colombia in South America. Vichada is located in the eastern plains of Colombia, in the Orinoquia region within the Orinoco river basin bordering the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the north and east. To the north the department of Vichada also borders to the north with the department of Arauca, to the northwest with the department of Casanare, to the west with the department of Meta, to the southwest narrowly bordering with the department of Guaviare and to the south with the department of Guainía. The department is the second largest in Colombia and scarcely populated in comparison to other departments.
The department of Vichada was previously a commissary established in 1913.
The largest town and capital of the department is Puerto Carreño located in extreme northeastern part of the department and bordering Venezuela. the department is subdivided into four municipalities; Puerto Carreño, La Primavera, Santa Rosalía and Cumaribo. It also contains 46 indigenous reserves and 6 communities.
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The Department of Vichada is located on the eastern plains of Colombia known colloquially as the Llanos. The department of Vichada limits to the north with the Department of Arauca and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; to the east with Venezuela; to the south with the Department of Guainía and the Department of Guaviare; and to the west with the Department of Meta and the Department of Casanare.
The department is located to the left margin of the Orinoco River and the right margin of the Meta River within the plains of los Llanos. Part of the department lies on the Guiana Shield. Soil lacks sediments due to the lack of alluvions from rivers coming from the Andes mountains.
Climate in the Department of Vichada is predominantly hot and humid with an average temperature of 28 °C (82 °F) throughout the year.
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.[3]
In August 1974, Puerto Carreño was elevated to the category of municipality by decree 1594 of that same year.[3]
On July 5, 1991 Vichada was elevated to the category of department and Puerto Carreño as its capital.[3]
The guerrilla organization FARC-EP has a 'significant presence' in the department as of 2011. They have frequently kidnapped oil workers in the first months of 2011.[4] Fighting between guerrilla movements FARC-EP and Ejército de Liberación Nacional, neo-paramilitary groups and the Colombian Army has displaced thousands of civilians in 2010 and 2011.[5] Political commentators say that the 'resurgence' of groups like FARC-EP in Vichada and other regions present an 'immense challenge' to the government of Juan Manuel Santos.[6] Vichada is considered in the periphery of the Colombian armed conflict due to its remoteness from more populated regions.
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