Vichada Department

Vichada Department
Departamento del Vichada
A road in Vichada, 2006
Motto(s): 
Tierra de hombres para hombres sin tierra
Land of men for men without land
Vichada shown in red
Topography of the department
Coordinates: 6°11′N 67°28′W / 6.183°N 67.467°W / 6.183; -67.467
Country Colombia
RegionOrinoquía Region
Established5 July 1913
CapitalPuerto Carreño
Government
  GovernorLuis Carlos Alvarez Morales (2016-2019)
Area
  Total
100,242 km2 (38,704 sq mi)
  Rank2nd
Population
 (2018)
  Total
107,808
  Rank31st
  Density1.1/km2 (2.8/sq mi)
GDP
  TotalCOP 957 billion
(US$ 0.2 billion)
Time zoneUTC-05
ISO 3166 codeCO-VID
Municipalities4
HDI0.745
high · 15th of 33
Websitewww.gobvichada.gov.co

Vichada Department (Spanish: Departamento del Vichada, Spanish pronunciation: [biˈtʃaða]) is a department of the Republic of Colombia in South America. Vichada is located in the eastern plains of Colombia, in the Orinoquía Region within the Orinoco river basin bordering the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the north and east. To the north the department also borders with Arauca Department, to the northwest with Casanare Department, to the west with Meta Department, to the southwest narrowly bordering with Guaviare Department and to the south with Guainía Department. The department is the second largest in Colombia and scarcely populated in comparison to other departments.

The department was previously a commissary established in 1913.

The largest town and capital of the department is Puerto Carreño located in extreme northeastern part of the department and bordering Venezuela. the department is subdivided into four municipalities; Puerto Carreño, La Primavera, Santa Rosalía and Cumaribo. It also contains 46 indigenous reserves and 6 communities.