The flower
heliconia

The Amazon Region

PUTUMAYO
Inhabitant: Putumayense

This south-west Colombian territory borders the departments of Nariño, Cauca, Caquetá and Amazonas as well as the Republics of Ecuador and Peru.
Putumayo became a Department since 1991. It has an area of 24,885 square kilometers.
Most of its land is flat, covered by a section of the Amazonian plains. It also has a very high rainfall.
A mountainous region on the western part of the territory belongs to the mountain range of Los Andes. It reaches altitudes up to 3,500 meters.
The department has many large and turbulent rivers, such as the Putumayo river, the Caquetá, the Orito, the Guamués, the Mocoa, the San Miguel and the Macaya.
Nearly 380,000 people live Putumayo. Two thirds of the population lives in rural areas. Most of the inhabitants are natives belonging to the Sibundoyes, Huitotos, Inganos, Coreguajes, Camsás, Sionas, Cafanes and Paeces tribes. The rest of the population are colonists from other parts of the country.
Oil production is the main source of wealth in the region. There are large oil fields mainly in the vicinities of Orito and Puerto Colón. Agriculture is also an important source of income. Corn, rice, yucca, potatoes, beans, chontaduros and bananas are important crops. There is also a great variety of wood, medicinal plants and rubber.
La Paya is a beautiful natural national park found in Putumayo. Its marvellous landscapes are home to a great variety of plants, all kinds of birds and many wild animals. The canyon of Mandiyaco, the Sibundoy valley, San Miguel and Yunguillo towns, and the Amazon plains, are other tourist attractions.

Capital: Mocoa
The capital was founded by Gonzalo H. de Avendaño in 1563, under the orders of Pedro de Agreda, governor of the province of Popayán. It was named "San Miguel de Agreda de Mocoa". A few months later of its foundation, it was burned by the natives of the region and the town had to be moved to a place between the Mocoa, Mulato and Sangoyaco rivers where it is nowadays. It has nearly 46,000 inhabitants.
The climate is humid and hot but it is a beautiful place. In the city you will find many palm trees and very pretty tropical flowers such as the heliconia, which is considered one of the Putumayo's symbols.
There is a highway between Mocoa, Puerto Asís and Pasto.

Musical Instruments
from Putumayo

The Anthem of Putumayo
(In Spanish)

Lyrics: Julio Mora
Music: Rodrigo Meneses

Chorus
¡Salve patria terruño de gloria!
Putumayo, gritaron también
los colonos que hicieron memoria
en tu suelo de idílico edén.
I
De tu historia nos queda el recuerdo.
Por tus sendas pasaron veloz
los soldados que hicieron acuerdo,
e implantaron la paz con ardor.
Desde el seno voraz de la selva,
resplandece tu nombre inmortal
porque grandes riquezas encierras,
que otros pueblos quisieran copiar.
II
Son tus campos edén prometido.
El trabajo tu bandera es hoy;
tus paisajes le dan colorido
a la faz del pintor que los creó.
Tus ciudades pequeñas y hermosas
se levantan con ritmo de flor;
progresando cual pétalo en rosa
e implantando doquier su folclor.

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(Cont. Anthem)

III
La belleza la dan sus mujeres.
Son cual perlas bañadas del mar.
El lugar de mi pueblo tú eres
y a tus hijos orgullo les das.
¡Inmortal Putumayo de ensueño,
tierra grande de mi inspiración!
¡Canten hombres con fuerza y empeño!
¡Canta selva de mi corazón!
IV
!Cuántos himnos quisiera cantarte.
Cuántos versos quisiera escribir
mil de veces vivir para amarte
y por ti orgulloso morir !
!Oh, terruño de mi ente querido!
Soy tu esclavo, mi dios eres tú.
Soy tu sangre, de mis sentidos,
Tú eres eco en toda laúd.
V
¡Salve patria tus fértiles campos!
Grandes ríos circundan tus pies
cual serpientes con ruidosos pasos,
porque en ellos está tu poder.
Mi canción no describe tu encanto,
ni un pedazo de tu cielo azul;
pues nacimos de ti con tu manto,
y en un grito de tu juventud.

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Other Villages

Puerto Asís was founded by the Capuchinos' priests in 1912. It was named after St. Francis of Assisi. It is the largest city in Putumayo and the commercial center of the department.

Orito, a city with a great future because of its oil reserves.

Puerto Leguízamo, important port on the Putumayo River.

Puerto Caicedo, where you will find the beautiful Salto del Indio.

Sibundoy, called The Cultural Capital of Putumayo.

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Airports

Villa Garzón – Mocoa.
Puerto Legíizamo – Puerto Leguízamo.
Tres de Mayo – Puerto Asis.

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National Natural Park

La Paya
Area: 422,000 hectares.