Amazonas Department

Department of Amazonas (Spanish: Departamento del Amazonas, Spanish pronunciation: [amaˈsonas]) is a department of Colombia in the south of the country. Its capital is Leticia. Its name comes from the Amazon River that drains much in the department and the rainforest that covers a large part of the department.

Toponymy

The department name comes from the name of the Amazon River. The river was named by the Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana (1511 - 1546), who, on his voyage of exploration, said he was attacked by "fierce females" looked like Amazons of the Greek mythology, however, the existence of a female warrior tribe in that time hasn’t been demonstrated and it is possible that they were long-haired Native American warriors who impressed the conqueror who called the jungle and the river with the name of Amazon.

Culture

The following ethnic groups are found in the department: Bora, Cocama, Macuna, Mirana, Okaina, Ticunas, Tucano, Uitoto, Yagua and Yucuna, among others. These groups are more than 5,000 years old.

National parks

Department of Amazonas covers 109,665 km2 of area protected,most it under name of "forest reserve" since 1959, currently has 4 "National Parks" (Aacayacú, Cahuinarí, Yagoje Apaporis and Rio Puree).