Barrancas, La Guajira
Encyclopedia
Barrancas is a town and municipality of the Colombia
n Department
of La Guajira. The municipality of Barrancas is located to the left margin of the Ranchería River
in a valley formed between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
mountains and the Serrania del Perija
. Barrancas has a total area of 742 km² and at 40 meters over sea level. The average temperature is 28°C throughout the year and distances from the capital of the Department of La Guajira, Riohacha
. It became a municipality in 1892.
Its economy is based on agriculture and coal mining which is exploited by the Cerrejon
coal mine.
in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, limiting to the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; to the north with the municipalities of Hatonuevo
and Albania
; to the south with the municipality of Fonseca
and to the west with the municipality of Riohacha
. The municipality covers a total are of 742 km² (286.5 sq mi) and is some 40 m (131 ft) over the sea level.
The municipality of Barrancas lays in the Valley of Upar formed between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
(west) and the Serrania del Perija
(east) and within the basin of the Rancheria River
.
s.
. The revolt was led by Eugenio Vidal, Javier Lopez Sierra, Jose Rodriguez Romero, Misael Orozco, Pedro Ojeda, Crisanto Solano, Bienvenido Gomez and Pedro Miguel Garavito.
Barrancas was one of the villages part of the Province of Padilla and became a municipality in 1892. It was also one of the five municipalities that grouped to form the Department of La Guajira
in 1954, then called Intendencia Nacional de La Guajira by orders of then military dictator Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
.
The municipality of Barrancas is connected through a highway to the department capital, Riohacha
and the main commercial town in the department, Maicao. Barrancas also has cultural influence and commercial trade related to agriculture from the city of Valledupar
in the Department of Cesar. Barrancas commercializes in small scale agricultural products such as coffee
, plantain
, cotton
, maize
and yuca
, but the main economic activity in the municipality is the exploitation of coal
at Cerrejón
coal mine. The Cerrejon coal mine is one of the largest open pit coal mine in the world.
(Coal National festival and Pageant) in October.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n Department
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of La Guajira. The municipality of Barrancas is located to the left margin of the Ranchería River
Ranchería River
The Ranchería River is a river located in northern La Guajira Department, Colombia. Born in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta southern steps flows south, abruptly turns northeast and then north towards the Caribbean sea where it finally flows into.-2007 Floods:...
in a valley formed between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
mountains and the Serrania del Perija
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
. Barrancas has a total area of 742 km² and at 40 meters over sea level. The average temperature is 28°C throughout the year and distances from the capital of the Department of La Guajira, Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
. It became a municipality in 1892.
Its economy is based on agriculture and coal mining which is exploited by the Cerrejon
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
coal mine.
Geography
Barrancas is located in the Guajira PeninsulaGuajira Peninsula
Guajira Peninsula , is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea...
in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, limiting to the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; to the north with the municipalities of Hatonuevo
Hatonuevo
Hatonuevo is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira. A municipality of the La Guajira Department since 1994, it has a population of approximately 17,014 inhabitants, the majority being workers of El Cerrejon coal mine.The town has an extension of 347 km2 and is...
and Albania
Albania, La Guajira
Albania is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira. Is the youngest municipality of this Department along with the town of Uribia and others, created on March 19, 2000...
; to the south with the municipality of Fonseca
Fonseca, La Guajira
Fonseca is a town and municipality located in the Colombian Department of La Guajira. The town celebrates the Festival del Retorno in honor of St Augustine with religious celebrations, vallenato music events and others.-Geography:...
and to the west with the municipality of Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
. The municipality covers a total are of 742 km² (286.5 sq mi) and is some 40 m (131 ft) over the sea level.
The municipality of Barrancas lays in the Valley of Upar formed between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
(west) and the Serrania del Perija
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
(east) and within the basin of the Rancheria River
Rancheria River
Rancheria River may refer to the:*the Ranchería River, a river in the department of La Guajira in Colombia*the Rancheria River , a river in the Yukon Territory, Canada, tributary to the Liard River....
.
Climate
The climate present in the region is predominantly hot and dry with no mountainous climate variations, maintaining an average temperature throughout the year of 28°C; while in the lower plains temperature can reach 35°C, while in the mountainous area of the municipality the temperature is milder. During the rainy season temperature in the mountainous part of the municipality can reach between 15-18°C while in the dry season 18-24°C. Higher temperature are reached by the end of March, April and May In June and July temperatures drop and in August and September raises. In October and November drops once again and raises in December and January due to the trade windTrade wind
The trade winds are the prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds found in the tropics, within the lower portion of the Earth's atmosphere, in the lower section of the troposphere near the Earth's equator...
s.
History
During the war of independence from Spain, on March 26, 1813 the Cabildo of Barrancas insurrected against the local Spanish monarchy authorities destroying images and coat of arms of King Fernando VII. The cabildo also swore loyalty to Simon BolivarSimón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
. The revolt was led by Eugenio Vidal, Javier Lopez Sierra, Jose Rodriguez Romero, Misael Orozco, Pedro Ojeda, Crisanto Solano, Bienvenido Gomez and Pedro Miguel Garavito.
Barrancas was one of the villages part of the Province of Padilla and became a municipality in 1892. It was also one of the five municipalities that grouped to form the Department of La Guajira
Department of La Guajira
La Guajira is a department of Colombia. It occupies most of its namesake peninsula, the Guajira Peninsula in the northeast region of the country, facing the Caribbean Sea and Venezuela in the northern most part of South America...
in 1954, then called Intendencia Nacional de La Guajira by orders of then military dictator Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
.
Demographics
According to projections made by the DANE for the year 2005 the municipality of Barrancas had a population of approximately 29,856 inhabitants.| Year | Population total |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 27,519 |
| 2003 | 28,285 |
| 2004 | 29,064 |
| 2005 | 29,856 |
Economy
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
and the main commercial town in the department, Maicao. Barrancas also has cultural influence and commercial trade related to agriculture from the city of Valledupar
Valledupar
Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
in the Department of Cesar. Barrancas commercializes in small scale agricultural products such as coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, plantain
Plantain
Plantain is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa. The fruit they produce is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and yuca
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
, but the main economic activity in the municipality is the exploitation of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
at Cerrejón
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
coal mine. The Cerrejon coal mine is one of the largest open pit coal mine in the world.
Culture
The municipality celebrates the Festival y Reinado Nacional del CarbónFestival y Reinado Nacional del Carbón
The Coal National festival and Pageant is a festival in Colombia that takes place in the town of Barrancas, Department of La Guajira from October 10 to the 13...
(Coal National festival and Pageant) in October.