AMAZON REGION: CHARACTERISTICS, LOCATION, CLIMATE, HYDROGRAPHY - GEOGRAPHY

The Amazon region of Colombia, also known as Amazonia, is one of the seven most important natural regions in Colombia. It is located in the south of the country, and limits to the north with the Andean and Orinoquía regions, to the east with Venezuela, to the southwest with Brazil, to the south with Peru and to the southeast with Ecuador. It includes the departments of Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo and Vaupés.

The Amazon is the largest region in Colombia. It covers between 35% and 40% of the total area of the country, although it is also the least populated; it has 264,945 inhabitants distributed among the 6 departments that make it up.

Location of the Amazon region of Colombia

The Amazon region is part of the great South American region of the Amazon rainforest, shared by Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Surinam and Bolivia; forming the largest forest area in the world, known as the lung of the world.

History

In colonial times, the territories that made up the Colombian Amazon responded to the administration of the province of Popayán.

Later, when Gran Colombia was formed, some departments changed administration. An example of this were the departments of Putumayo and Amazonas, which became part of the department of Azuay. This was a fairly broad region, which included territories of what is now Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador.

The 20th century brought with it a new conception of these territories, according to which they were considered police stations. Later, when the 1991 Constitution came into force, most of these police stations became departments, except for the department of Caquetá, which obtained that mention a few years earlier, in December 1981.

Little population

The fact that the Amazon region is an area of dense vegetation has influenced that historically it has been a very sparsely populated area.

It is the largest region in the Republic of Colombia, and at the same time it is the least populated in the nation: data extracted from a census carried out in 2012 indicated that this area was home to only 2.6 citizens for each square meter.

In Florencia (Caquetá) there are approximately 150,000 inhabitants. Nicomans / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

These data contrast widely with those collected that same year in relation to the rest of the Colombian territory, where there was a population density of 162.2 citizens per square meter.

Natural barrier

The dense vegetation, reflected in a thick jungle and in the little space available for settlements, has meant that the Amazon region has remained in some way protected from colonizing processes that historically have come from the Andes region.

Due to this same natural barrier, this region has been isolated from other areas within the same country, and this isolation has been in different areas, such as geographical (perhaps the most obvious), economic and cultural.

The sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were for Colombia times of intense transformation in terms of infrastructures, and thanks to the naturally generated jungle fence, this region was little or not influenced and affected by this period of transformation.

The positive point regarding this reality is that the Amazon region has managed to maintain its ecosystem as pure as possible, a scenario in which the fact that it is not so exposed to the industrialization that affects the other regions of the country helps.

This has given rise to native indigenous tribes still living in this region, who have not had to move to other places, but have been able to maintain their customs and their idiosyncrasy associated with their geographical roots.

It is even estimated that several of the cultures with indigenous characteristics that inhabited the area during the 16th century, in the context of colonization, still make an active life in the Amazon region.

Little gold, a lot of rubber

Since this area was not rich in gold, it was not a very desirable region for the Spanish conquerors. However, during the 19th century there was a boom linked to the exploitation of rubber, a very abundant element in the Amazon region.

The automotive and military sectors in Europe and the United States increased their demands for rubber, as they used latex extensively in their productions.

This brought as a consequence that various camps were set up in this region whose objective was the rubber trade.

According to several historians, this fact meant the beginning of the development of different cities and of an economic dynamic based more on interrelation with other cities belonging to the Amazon in Brazil and Peru, instead of an economy in harmony and adjusted to the dynamics of the Republic of Colombia. This gave rise to the generation of a regional economy.

At this time, several indigenous tribes were affected to a great extent, since some of their members were enslaved and used as labor to work within this industry. This implied that the indigenous population declined considerably.

Peruvian-Colombian War

Another fact that is worth highlighting is the war that was generated between Peru and Colombia generated by a conflict derived from the rights that each country claimed over the so-called Amazonian trapeze, also called Leticia's trapeze. This happened during the years 1933 and 1934.

Battle post during the war. National Army of Colombia / Public domain

Finally, Colombia recovered the Amazonian trapeze. On May 24, 1934 a treaty called the Rio Protocol was signed; In this context, the Salomón-Lozano treaty was reaffirmed, which was signed in 1922 and which put an end to the border conflicts generated between Peru and Colombia. This treaty is in force today.

Characteristics of the Amazon region of Colombia

Protected national parks and reserves

Natural national parks of the Colombian Amazon.- Peter Fitzgerald, OpenStreetMap / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Due to the biodiversity of the Amazon region, in general, but specifically of Colombia, there are organizations that have been in charge of preserving a set of areas with exceptional value for the nation's natural heritage for the benefit of its inhabitants.

The body in charge of this work is the National System of Protected Areas -SINAP-, in charge of managing the System of National Natural Parks -SPNN-.

These national bodies divide natural areas into different types. In Colombia there are 42 National Natural Parks.

Among them, there is the Amazon region that has a total of 12 protected areas, with a total of 9 natural national parks, 2 natural national reserves (RNN Nukak and RNN Puinawai) and a sanctuary of fauna and flora (Medicinal Plants Orito Ingi-Andé).

Sparse population

The Colombian Amazon represents the largest region in the entire national territory, with an area of 403,000 km²; between 35% and 40% of the total extension of the Colombian territory.

Also the area with the lowest number of inhabitants, with a total of 264,945 inhabitants, distributed in the six departments that make it up, compared to a national population of a total of more than 49 million inhabitants.

Small store. Aliman5040 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

This demographic inequality may have a historical reason, because the main cities of the country, including its capital Bogotá, settled mainly in the Andean region, together with the Caribbean and Pacific region, due to their greater employment possibilities.

However, in addition to economic reasons, and later social; The Amazon region of Colombia presents many communication difficulties with the rest of the country due to its natural condition; air and river routes are the main forms of communication in the region.

In addition, there is a great effort to conserve the region and reduce as much as possible the environmental impact in it, hence its small population.

Indigenous ethnic groups

Despite having the lowest population in Colombian territory, the Amazon is home to a large number of aboriginal ethnic groups, at least 60 ethnic groups, out of a total of more than 100 ethnic groups throughout the country, which however represent a very small number of the total population.

The yaguas are distributed throughout the Amazon area of Colombia and Peru. JialiangGao www.peace-on-earth.org / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

It is very likely that the natural conditions of this region have been more suitable for the settlement of natives than those that occur in other regions such as the Andean, where the climate and height could represent difficulties for the first settlers.

The Colombian Amazon region has managed to keep alive the tribes that inhabit it because the intervention of man in these lands has been minimal compared to the rest of the national territory, which has allowed them to preserve their linguistic, cultural and style richness. of traditional life.

Biodiversity and subregions

The predominant ecosystem in the Colombian Amazon region is the jungle, more specifically classified with the names of pluvisilva, rainforest, or specifically the tropical and subtropical humid forest.

Within the Amazon of Colombia there are five ecoregions of jungle or humid forest: Caquetá humid forest, Napo humid forest, Solimões-Japurá humid forest, Japurá-Solimões-Negro humid forest and Río Negro Campinarana.

In addition to its ecoregions, the Amazon is divided into the subregions of: Amazonian foothills, Caquetá Plains, Inírida Plains, Guaviare Plains, Southern Amazon, Putumayo Plains, Chiribiquete Mountains and the Amazon Trapeze.

Difficulty in transportation

Transportation has been mentioned as a difficulty inherent to the natural characteristics of the region, where the soils, humidity, rivers and the desire to preserve and protect the region's natural reserve, do not allow most of the region's cities to communicate with the rest of the country by land.

The main form of access to the region is by air, with airports in Leticia (Amazonas) and Florencia (Caquetá), etc.

Utility with the ability to land at the Leticia airport. Shahram Sharifi - Iranian Spotters

By land, the cities of Florencia (Caquetá) and Mocoa (Putumayo) are connected to the rest of the country. The main form of movement within the region is the waterway.

Location and limits

There are several criteria by which the Amazon region of Colombia is delimited. Some of the institutions that have developed these delimitations are the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute and the Amazonian Institute for Scientific Research.

The delimitations proposed by both institutes have some differences between them. However, it can be said that the Amazon region of Colombia is characterized by encompassing the departments of Caquetá, Guaviare, Amazonas, Putumayo, Guaninía, Vaupés, as well as a portion of Cauca and Nariño.

Specifically, the Amazon region occupies the southeastern area of the Meta department, the southern part of the Vichada department and the so-called Bota Caucana (southeastern region of the Cauca department).

In addition, it also covers the upper area of the Sucio, Aguarico, Guamuez and San Miguel rivers (belonging to the department of Nariño), as well as the entire territory of the Caquetá, Guaviare, Amazonas, Vaupés and Putumayo departments.

Wide extension

The Amazon region is located towards the southeast of the Colombian territory and occupies about 483163 square kilometers. In relation to the region of the greater Amazon, the portion located in Colombia corresponds to 5.71% of this region.

As can be seen, this region occupies a large part of the Colombian territory; in fact, the entire area is estimated to encompass approximately 42% of Colombia.

Regarding its limits, the Amazon region is to the north with the Orinoquia region; to the south it has the republics of Peru, Brazil and Ecuador; to the east are Venezuela and Brazil; and to the west by the southeast it meets the Andean region.

In the case of Peru and Brazil, the Colombian Amazon region covers the entire border area that the first two countries have with Colombia.

Weather

The Amazon region is characterized by a humid and warm climate. On average, the temperatures that are maintained in this region range from 24 to 27 ° C.

With regard to humidity, these levels remain more or less the same throughout the year, maintaining a range close to 85%.

Precipitation

The Amazon region is characterized by the rains reaching more than 2000 millimeters per year, especially in the center of Caquetá, towards the south of Putumayo, the north of Guainía and a considerable area of Guaviare.

The other areas that make up the region are characterized by having rains that exceed 3,000 millimeters per year. In general, these rains present their maximum figures between the months of May and July; on the other hand, the lesser rains occur between the months of December and January.

Since this area is quite extensive, the rainfall pattern is different in the southern part of the Amazon region. For this reason, it can be seen that the months with the highest levels of rainfall correspond to December and January, and the seasons with less rainfall are between June and August.

Now, the area that is right at the source of the mountain, the so-called piedmont, has some particular characteristics.

The most peculiar thing about this area is that there are two periods of heavy rain instead of one; in other words, the rainfall regime in this space is bimodal. In this context, rainfall occurs during the months of December and January, and between the months of May and July.

The rains extend on average about 200 days in each year, and this figure tends to increase in much of the areas of Putumayo, Caquetá, Vaupés and Amazonas.

Sunlight

In the Amazon region there is a lot of cloud cover, which prevents abundant sunlight; in fact, it is considered that in this area the sun shines very little.

Specifically in the areas north of Putumayo and at the border point of this department with Caquetá, Cauca and Nariño, the registered figures related to sunlight are less than 1,300 hours of sunshine each year.

There are spaces in which there is a little more sunlight, and these include the regions located towards the north of the Colombian department of Guainía and towards the extreme south of the Amazon.

Flora and fauna

Black alligator

The richness in the vegetation and fauna of the Amazon region is exceptional, making it difficult to determine which species specifically belong to the Amazon region within Colombia, due to the common ecosystem that shares the entire extension known as the Amazon.

Regarding its fauna, among the mammals, there are various species of monkeys, the jaguar, the puma, the tapir and the deer; and in its waters some species of dolphins, such as the pink dolphin.

Also, a large number of reptiles such as turtles, alligators, crocodiles, and snakes such as the anaconda. The black caiman is present in the Colombian Amazon.

There is no other ecosystem with such a rich variety of birds, with a total of 20% of the total bird species in the Amazon forest.

You can find species such as macaws, toucans, the harpy eagle, etc. As for fish, the Amazon has one of the largest sources of fish species in the world.

With regard to vegetation, 20% of the world's plant species are found in the Amazon forest.

The Victoria Amazónica plant stands out, which blooms along the Amazon River; in addition to a large number of trees such as: itahuba, caricari, tajibos, cedar, barcina route, mandrilo, etc.

Many of the plants that grow in the Amazon region are attributed medicinal properties. In addition, there is the lilac known as Reyna Victoria, the largest aquatic plant in the world. There is also a great diversity of wildflowers throughout the area.

See more in main article: Flora and fauna of the Amazon region.

Hydrography (rivers, lakes, lagoons…)

According to data from the Agustín Codazzi Geographical Institute for 2008, the Amazon slope of Colombia occupies 342,251 square kilometers. It is worth noting that not all the rivers that make up this region end up flowing into the Amazon River.

Next we will mention the most important bodies of water in the Amazon region of Colombia.

Putumayo River

It has an area of about 1800 square kilometers. It has its source in the Colombian municipality Puerto Asís and flows into Brazil, in the Amazon River. Its basin measures approximately 148,000 square kilometers.

This river is currently considered to be one of the least polluted in the area, and is constantly under government surveillance, which has prevented the establishment of mineral smuggling gangsters.

A large number of peasant inhabitants of the area prefer to have their crops on the banks of the Putumayo River, since these areas are rich in nutrients, very beneficial for rice, banana, corn, among others.

Caquetá River

This river has its source in the so-called massif of Colombia, in a space that encompasses both the department of Huila and that of Cauca.

It is born in the Páramo de Peñas Blancas, and ends up flowing into the Amazon River. It has a length of 2,280 square kilometers, of which 1,200 correspond to Colombian territory. The basin of this river is 267,730 square kilometers.

To get an idea of how wide the river basin is, it is enough to know that its extension is greater than some countries, such as Guinea or New Zealand.

Tarapoto lakes

This set of lakes actually forms a wetland that includes 22 lakes, among which are Lake Tarapoto Redondo, Tarapoto Largo, Calzón Cacha, Chepeten and Charapa Cacha, among others. The entire complex occupies more than 750,000 hectares.

Recently, in January 2018, this lake complex became part of the Ramsar list, which includes protected hydrological bodies in the world. As a consequence of this inclusion, 45,463 hectares will become a protected area and its sustainable use will be promoted.

The complex is located in a low area, but when the rainy season occurs, it can reach 14 meters in height.

This complex is home to some 76 species of migratory birds, and 22 indigenous communities will be favored by this measure, given that this complex is an indispensable part of its dynamics.

The most common activity of the indigenous and peasants that inhabit the area is fishing, and trade, tourism and timber extraction are also practiced.

Gastronomy

Among the most common foods in the daily intake of the inhabitants of the Amazon region of Colombia, fish stand out. In addition, the proximity with the countries of Brazil and Peru has allowed the gastronomy to be enriched, incorporating varied flavors.

The presence of dense and peculiar forest also gives rise to the existence of very special fruits, which are not usually found in other regions.

Likewise, yucca and banana are two very common elements on the table of the inhabitants of this region, just like chili peppers, which they use to season almost any dish. Some of the most typical preparations of the Amazon region are the following:

Gamitana

It is a large fish that is also known as tambaquí or cachama. Its size is such that it can measure up to one meter and can weigh up to 30 kilos.

It is usually prepared fried and accompanied by patacones or with broth made from the head of the same fish.

Dorado in coconut sauce

This preparation is also usually made with catfish. It consists of cutting the fish into thin slices and marinating it according to the consumer's taste.

Later the fish is prepared roasted on a griddle, and in parallel a mixture is prepared that includes wheat flour, butter and coconut milk. Once this mixture is homogeneous, add the fish and cook until it adopts the desired texture.

When serving, the finishing touch is added, which is a layer of heavy cream. This succulent dish is served with steamed potatoes, or also with white rice.

Stuffed gamitana

This is another dish that has the gamitana as its protagonist. In this case, the fish will be stuffed with a stew prepared with thyme, paprika, onion, garlic, butter, bay leaf and black sauce.

This preparation is mixed with white rice, meat, chicken, tuna, carrot, olives and coriander. Subsequently, the gamitana is filled with this mixture and it is baked at a temperature of about 350 ° C. After two hours the preparation will be ready, and it can be accompanied with chili, patacones and yuca.

Copoazu cream

Copoazú, also called white cacao, is a fruit similar to cacao, to which various medicinal properties have been attributed.

To prepare the copoazú cream, the pulp of this fruit is mixed with heavy cream and condensed milk. It is served cold.

Pataresca

Pataresca is a dish that is prepared with pintadillo and dorado. Both fish are seasoned with onion, garlic and paprika, and then they are roasted inside some banana leaves. It is a fairly common food in the Amazon region of Colombia.

Mojojoy

It is a widely consumed larva, especially in the indigenous communities of the area. It can be prepared roasted, fried and can even be filled with chicken and meat.

Casabe

It is a bread that has also been called indigenous bread; They are cakes made with the so-called yuca brava. It is perhaps one of the most emblematic foods in the Amazon area.

Fariña

This preparation also comes from the yuca brava. The final recipe has a floury appearance, and is often used more as an accompaniment to other dishes than as a main meal.

Iyuco

It is a broth that is made up of seeds, fish, wild leaves and ants. It is said that it is a soup with a deep flavor, and it is quite common consumption in the Amazon region.

Traditional art

As for the art of the Colombian Amazon region, what is remarkable are not the contemporary artistic manifestations of the region, but especially those of a historical and traditional nature.

More than 80 pictorial complexes have been found containing some 20,000 cave paintings in the area of the Sierra de Chiribiquete.

Diversity of dances, festivals and carnivals

Being the Colombian Amazon a region rich in native traditions and cultures; This also turns out to be a region with a diversity of popular festivities, which are manifested through dance, music and carnivals.

The dances present a profane and magical character, linked to the ethnic groups of the region. The most popular dance is that of the San Juanero, formerly used to communicate with the spirits of the ancestors.

During this, a female mask was used that represented the moon and a male one, that represented the sun. Another popular dance is the Zayuco, performed during the union of the Huitotos indigenous people.

In addition, the Mocoa carnival is held, carried out in the month of December, in order to take care of the roots of the Putumayo department.

Also known is the national and international festival and reign of ecology, held in Caquetá, where the queen of ecology is elected.

See more at:

Festivities of the Amazon region.

Music from the Amazon region.

Economy

See main article: Economy of the Amazon region.

Relief

See main article: Relief of the Amazon region.

Culture

See main articles:

Culture of the Amazon region.

Customs of the Amazon region.

References

Amazon Region (Colombia). (2017, June 6). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on June 16, 2017 from es.wikipedia.org.
Amazon natural region. (2017, March 9). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
Colombia. (2017, May 30). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from es.wikipedia.org.
Colombia. (2017, June 15). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
List of national parks of Colombia. (2017, January 30). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
Amazon rainforest. (2017, May 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
Amazonia. (2017, June 13). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from es.wikipedia.org.

AMAZON REGION: CHARACTERISTICS, LOCATION, CLIMATE, HYDROGRAPHY - GEOGRAPHY - 2025