Guaviare () is a department of

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

. It is in the southern central region of the country. Its capital is San José del Guaviare. Guaviare was created on July 4, 1991, by the new Political Constitution of Colombia. Up until that point, it was a national territory that operated as a commissariat, segregated from territory of the then Commissariat of Vaupés on December 23, 1977.

Municipalities

# Calamar # El Retorno # Miraflores # San José del Guaviare

History

Originally inhabited by the indigenous Nukak people, Guaviare was one of the regions colonized during the Amazon rubber boom of the 1910s and 1940s. Many families migrated from the centre of the country, seeking fast revenue and escaping from the bi-partisan violence taking place in other regions of Colombia. Nevertheless, the 'rubber fever' ended quickly, leaving the new inhabitants of Guaviare alone in an immense rainforest difficult to conquer. The boom of cocaine in the second half of the 20th century attracted new colonizers who migrated from other impoverished regions attracted by the coca revenues. Following this new wave of colonization, the territory started growing almost of coca per year. Several segments of Guaviare's territory were controlled by drug traffickers and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) guerrilla group during this period in which violence was widespread and clashes between the factions of the

Colombian armed conflict The Colombian conflict () began on May 27, 1964, and is a low-intensity asymmetric war between the government of Colombia, far-right paramilitary groups, crime syndicates and far-left guerrilla groups fighting each other to increase their i ...

were constant. According to Colombia's Victims Unit, the conflict in Guaviare has had more than 93,000 victims since 1985, with more than 83,000 displaced and 6,612 dead. The Colombian government's efforts to fight against coca cultivation have faced several difficulties. Aerial aspersion of

glyphosate Glyphosate (IUPAC name: ''N''-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. It is an organophosphorus compound, specifically a phosphonate, which acts by EPSP inhibitor, inhibiting the plant enzyme 5-en ...

over the coca crops was suspended by a judicial order as it was potentially risky for the health of the inhabitants. Additionally, plans to replace coca with other crops have encountered legal, environmental, and economic restrains that limit their viability. None of these crops could match the level of profit that coca provided. The introduction of cattle to the region has reduced the farmers' dependence on coca by generating alternative sources of income. However, deforestation caused by cattle-ranching has led to droughts, fires, and loss of biodiversity. The demobilization of the FARC in 2016 has led to the improvement of the living conditions in rural areas of Guaviare, although FARC dissident groups that did not demobilize still exert territorial control of some zones of the department.

Demographics

Racial makeup

* Mestizo Colombians (90.09%) *

Afro-Colombians Afro-Colombians (), also known as Black Colombians (), are Colombians of total or predominantly Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Colombia has one of the largest  Afro-descendant populations in South America, with government estimates being ...

(5.86%) *

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

(4.05%) The

Nukak The Nukak people (also Nukak-Maku people, Makú) live between the Guaviare River, Guaviare and Inírida River, Inírida rivers, in the depths of the tropical humid forest, on the fringe of the Amazon basin, in Guaviare Department, Republic of Co ...

, a nomadic tribe that was uncontacted until 1988, live in Guaviare.

Notes

References

External links

Territorial-Environmental Information System of Colombian Amazon SIAT-AC website
Departments of Colombia States and territories established in 1991 {{Guaviare-geo-stub