The Amazon and the Eastern Plains Region

GUAINIA
Inhabitant: Guainarense

This department lies in eastern Colombia and covers an area of 72,238 square kilometers. It borders the department of Vichada in the northwest, Guviare and Vaupés in the west, the Republic of Venezuela in the east and the Republic of Brazil in the south.

The land is formed by huge plains, some hills, the mountain range of Naquén and some rainforest regions. Inside the territory are the natural national park of Puinawai, the lake Matevení, the hills of Manicure and the Hills of Mavecuri, one of the most beautiful places in the country.

In the guainarense soil grows the beautiful flower of Inírida, which changes colours and shades throughout the year. This flower is considered one of the symbols of Guainía. The department has several rivers with a large flow.
Rivers play an important roll in the department, the Inírida being the most important one. It crosses the department diagonally to the northeastern and flows into the Guaviare, another very important river that marks the border with Vichada.
The average temperature of the region is 27 degrees Celsius and it has an average annual rainfall of about 3,000 millimeters (110 inches).

Guainía became an official department in 1991 and has approximately 42,000 inhabitants. The great majority of them are natives from the linguistic family of the Guahibo and Arawak tribes.

Guainía is the less densely populated department in Colombia, as there are only 0.17 inhabitants per square kilometer.
The department's economy is based on fishing, hunting, livestock, lumber and fibre extraction from the Chiquichiqu palm and the yaré reed, used for handicrafts. According to historians, the yucca root was first found in Guainía. Later on, it was spread all over Colombia.
A few years ago, important gold and diamond mines were discovered near the borders with Venezuela and Brazil.

Capital: Inirida

Inírida was created in 1965 by settlers that arrived in the region.
It has been a municipality (the only one in Guainía) since 1974 and has about 23,000 inhabitants.
This picturesque city is situated on the banks of the Inírida River and very near the Guaviare River. It is an important port and the commercial center of the entire department.

Flower of Inirida
Symbol of Guainia

The Flag of
Guainia

Musical Instruments
from Guainia

Anthem of Guainía
(In Spanish)

Lyrics: Vicente Bohórquez
Music:Gil Arialdo Rey

Guainía tierra noble
belleza inconfundible
mi orgullo haber nacido donde soy
adoro a mi tierra con amor.
Viva Colombia, la selva y el Guainía
cantamos siempre tus hijos por doquier.
Somos guainianos de raza y de bravía
y somos nobles como un atardecer.
I
Salve airosa y pujante Guainía
que has librado con nobleza tu altivez
el perfil de una brillante mañana
sobre surcos de amor y de fe.
Incrustada en la triple frontera
que franquean Venezuela y Brasil,
eres prenda de soberanía
e imperioso guardián del país.

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(Cont. Anthem)

II
Tú le ofreces gentil a los colonos
la esperanza de un nuevo ideal
ocasión de progreso y trabajo
tierra propia calor de amistad.
Los guainianos unidos le daremos
a la nueva Colombia honra y prez
tremolando adelante la bandera
o el fusil si lo manda el deber.
III
Son tus ríos espejos verdeantes
que reflejan el sol muy tropical
y fragmentan en mil las cachiveras
de sus aguas el inmenso raudal.
Son tus selvas emporios gigantes
de madera de riqueza sin fin
ejemplos vivos que el hombre aún no huella
que auguran un feliz porvenir.

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Other Villages

Barranco Minas, Cacagual, La Guadalupe, Morichal Nuevo, Pana Pana, Puerto Colombia y San Felipe.

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Airports

Obando Inirida
Barranco Minas Barranco Minas

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National Natural Reserves

Puinawai
Area: 1,092,500 hectares

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