La Jagua del Pilar
Encyclopedia
La Jagua del Pilar is a town and municipality in the Colombia
n Department
of La Guajira. The municipality has a total area of 187 km² and located some 450 meters over sea level and with an average temperature of 27°C. La Jagua del Pilar became a municipality of La Guajira in 1998.
limiting to the north with the municipality of Urumita
; east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and to the south and west with the Department of Cesar covering a total area of 152 km². The area of the municipality is mostly flat with some mountains near the Serrania del Perija
mountain range and crossed by the Perija and Marquezote rivers and the Los Martires stream, among others. The municipality seat is located some 450 m above sea level.
and Wiwas ethnic groups. During the period of Independence from Spain the area was a farm owned by María de la Concepción Loperena Ustariz, from Valledupar
, one of the few women who supported the independence movement of Simon Bolivar
. Loperena donated more than a hundred horses to the Patriot army. She also donated her state to build a new settlement which was named "La Jagua del Pedregal". The new settlement was established by Don Manuel José Fernández de Castro and Don Bartolo Ustariz on October 12, 1795. The name was later changed to La jagua del Pilar to honor Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Pillar.
On May 6, 1998 the corregimiento of La Jagua del Pilar became a municipality, segregating from the municipality of Urumita
by ordinance 018 of the same year declared by the Department Assembly of La Guajira and is covered also by Law 14 of 1969 also known as the "Frontiers Law" for having boundaries with Venezuela
.
ranching is practiced mostly extensively and in latifundios. The main agricultural products are cotton
, maize
, plantain
and yuca
.
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 has a total area of 187 km² and located some 450 meters over sea level and with an average temperature of 27°C. La Jagua del Pilar became a municipality of La Guajira in 1998.
Geography
The municipality of La Jagua del Pilar is located in the southern area of the Guajira PeninsulaGuajira Peninsula
Guajira Peninsula , is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea...
limiting to the north with the municipality of Urumita
Urumita
Urumita is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira.-Geography:The municipality of Urumita is located on the Serrania del Perija mountain range with part of its territory covering the valley of the Cesar River towards the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range...
; east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and to the south and west with the Department of Cesar covering a total area of 152 km². The area of the municipality is mostly flat with some mountains near 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...
mountain range and crossed by the Perija and Marquezote rivers and the Los Martires stream, among others. The municipality seat is located some 450 m above sea level.
Climate
The average temperature in the municipality is 28°C throughout the year, presenting two rainy season and two dry seasons. Climate also varies depending on mountain altitude.History
The area of the present-day municipality of La Jagua del Pilar was populated by indigenous peoples pertaining to the WayuuWayuu
Wayuu is an Amerindian ethnic group of the La Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela. They are part of the Maipurean language family.- Geography :...
and Wiwas ethnic groups. During the period of Independence from Spain the area was a farm owned by María de la Concepción Loperena Ustariz, from 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...
, one of the few women who supported the independence movement of Simon Bolivar
Simón 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...
. Loperena donated more than a hundred horses to the Patriot army. She also donated her state to build a new settlement which was named "La Jagua del Pedregal". The new settlement was established by Don Manuel José Fernández de Castro and Don Bartolo Ustariz on October 12, 1795. The name was later changed to La jagua del Pilar to honor Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Pillar.
On May 6, 1998 the corregimiento of La Jagua del Pilar became a municipality, segregating from the municipality of Urumita
Urumita
Urumita is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira.-Geography:The municipality of Urumita is located on the Serrania del Perija mountain range with part of its territory covering the valley of the Cesar River towards the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range...
by ordinance 018 of the same year declared by the Department Assembly of La Guajira and is covered also by Law 14 of 1969 also known as the "Frontiers Law" for having boundaries with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Economy
The economy is based primarily on agriculture. CattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
ranching is practiced mostly extensively and in latifundios. The main agricultural products are 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...
, 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...
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...
.