Department of North Santander
Encyclopedia
North Santander is a department
of Colombia
. It is in the north of the country, bordering Venezuela
. Its capital is Cúcuta
, one of the major cities of Colombia.
North Santander Department is bordered by Venezuela to the east and north, by Santander Department
and Boyacá Department
to the south, and by South Santander Department
and Cesar Department
to the east.
The official Department name in Spanish is "Departamento de Norte de Santander" (North Santander Department) in honor to the Colombian military and political leader Francisco de Paula Santander
. North Santander Department is located in the northwestern zone of the Colombian Andean Region.
The area of present day Norte de Santander played an important role in the history of Colombia
, during the War of Independence from Spain
when Congress gave origin to the Greater Colombia in Villa del Rosario
.
It was Law 25 of July 14, 1910, that took effect July 20 of the same year. Law 25 of 1910, signed by the then President of the National Assembly of Colombia, Emilio Ferrero; the Secretary, Marcelino Uribe exequible Arango and declared by the Gentleman President Ramon González Valencia and by Minister of Government Miguel Abbey Méndez, was the one that took step to the Department which today we know like North Santander, been born after several attempts given from April 1850, time in which the Republic of New Granada was born with 5 departments and 19 provinces.
In that time, Santander was born not like Department but like province with San José de Cúcuta like its capital. In 1857 the sovereign Department of Santander was created and its capital was Pamplona. As of December of that same year, the capital was transferred to Bucaramanga.
In May 1858, the Republic of Colombia was denominated Granadina Confederation and were part of her 8 Departments, including the one of Santander. Years later, in 1863, it was decided in the National Convention of Rio Negro, to change the name of the country by the one of the United States of Colombia.
The expedition of the Political Constitution of 1886, at the well-known time like "Regeneration", changed the name of the country and is again from that time that our territory is known like Republic of Colombia. For that time also the provinces began to denominate departments and were divided in provinces.
Our Department still was well-known as Santander and were part of him the provinces of Cúcuta, Ocaña, Pamplona, Charalá, García Rovira, Guanentá, Soto, Socorro and Vélez. In 1905, the Department was divided in two and during a time, Santander had to Cúcuta, Ocaña, River of Gold, Pamplona, García Rovira, Santos and Fortúl, like provinces.
A new political division underwent the country in 1908 and as a result of it, the Department of Cúcuta existed by a short period. In April 1910, there were changes in the political division of Colombia again. The 34 departments created in 1908, were suppressed and the country recovered the effective political division in 1905, with which Cúcuta disappears as Department and returns to depend on Bucaramanga, by a short period, until the expedition of Law 25 July 1910, with which the North Santander Department is born.
North Santander has a varied geography and is composed by mountainous areas, deserts, plateaus, plains and hills, with municipalities of heights very varied, this make in landscapes and climates immensely rich. Throughout his territory they cross by rivers and lagoons.
The Department is conformed by three natural regions: the most broken part is represented by the Eastern Mountain range, it begins in the site known as Naked Santurbán and soon it becomes the Mountainous area of the Motilones. On the other hand, the plains of the Catatumbo River and the Zulia River are located to the Northwest and to the south it is the valley of the Magdalena River.
The sector of influence of the Catatumbo river has temperatures averaging 24 °C with warm climates and humid, whereas in the zone of Cúcuta, it varies of dry to very dry; and in the mountainous area, great variety of climates that go from the temperings to the very cold ones, including inferior appears to the 12 °C.
A rich hydrographic system crosses the Department with three river basins of great importance: to the north the one of the Catatumbo river, to the west the one of the Magdalena river and to the southwest, the one of the Orinoco river.
Population Statistics
North Santander has a special demography due its border localization. Cúcuta
has the largest population rate where a lot of Venezuelans live. Other cities are Ocaña
and Pamplona
.
Statistics of Households
In this Department the citizens prefer to live in houses (89.8%).
s and the maize surrounded ones. Other dishes are rampuche and panche.
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 Colombia
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...
. It is in the north of the country, bordering 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...
. Its capital is Cúcuta
Cúcuta
Cúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
, one of the major cities of Colombia.
North Santander Department is bordered by Venezuela to the east and north, by Santander Department
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and Boyacá Department
Boyacá Department
Boyacá is one of the 32 Departments of Colombia, and the remnant of one of the original nine states of the "United States of Colombia".Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela, although the western end...
to the south, and by South Santander Department
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and Cesar Department
Cesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
to the east.
The official Department name in Spanish is "Departamento de Norte de Santander" (North Santander Department) in honor to the Colombian military and political leader Francisco de Paula Santander
Francisco de Paula Santander
Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña , was a Colombian military and political leader during the 1810–1819 independence war of the United Provinces of New Granada...
. North Santander Department is located in the northwestern zone of the Colombian Andean Region.
The area of present day Norte de Santander played an important role in the history of Colombia
History of Colombia
This article deals with the history of Colombia, a country in South America.-Pre-Colombian period:Approximately 10,000 years BC hunter-gatherer societies existed near present-day Bogotá , and they traded with one another and with cultures living in the Magdalena River valley...
, during the War of Independence from Spain
Bolívar's War
The military and political career of Simón Bolívar, , which included both formal service in the armies of various revolutionary regimes and actions organized by himself or in collaboration with other exiled patriot leaders during the years from 1811 to 1830, was an important element in the success...
when Congress gave origin to the Greater Colombia in Villa del Rosario
Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander
Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
.
History
Many territorial divisions had to occur before definitively constituting the Norh Santander Department, created in 1910, time at which General Ramon González Valencia governed the Nation.It was Law 25 of July 14, 1910, that took effect July 20 of the same year. Law 25 of 1910, signed by the then President of the National Assembly of Colombia, Emilio Ferrero; the Secretary, Marcelino Uribe exequible Arango and declared by the Gentleman President Ramon González Valencia and by Minister of Government Miguel Abbey Méndez, was the one that took step to the Department which today we know like North Santander, been born after several attempts given from April 1850, time in which the Republic of New Granada was born with 5 departments and 19 provinces.
In that time, Santander was born not like Department but like province with San José de Cúcuta like its capital. In 1857 the sovereign Department of Santander was created and its capital was Pamplona. As of December of that same year, the capital was transferred to Bucaramanga.
In May 1858, the Republic of Colombia was denominated Granadina Confederation and were part of her 8 Departments, including the one of Santander. Years later, in 1863, it was decided in the National Convention of Rio Negro, to change the name of the country by the one of the United States of Colombia.
The expedition of the Political Constitution of 1886, at the well-known time like "Regeneration", changed the name of the country and is again from that time that our territory is known like Republic of Colombia. For that time also the provinces began to denominate departments and were divided in provinces.
Our Department still was well-known as Santander and were part of him the provinces of Cúcuta, Ocaña, Pamplona, Charalá, García Rovira, Guanentá, Soto, Socorro and Vélez. In 1905, the Department was divided in two and during a time, Santander had to Cúcuta, Ocaña, River of Gold, Pamplona, García Rovira, Santos and Fortúl, like provinces.
A new political division underwent the country in 1908 and as a result of it, the Department of Cúcuta existed by a short period. In April 1910, there were changes in the political division of Colombia again. The 34 departments created in 1908, were suppressed and the country recovered the effective political division in 1905, with which Cúcuta disappears as Department and returns to depend on Bucaramanga, by a short period, until the expedition of Law 25 July 1910, with which the North Santander Department is born.
Geography
The Department is conformed by three natural regions: the most broken part is represented by the Eastern Mountain range, it begins in the site known as Naked Santurbán and soon it becomes the Mountainous area of the Motilones. On the other hand, the plains of the Catatumbo River and the Zulia River are located to the Northwest and to the south it is the valley of the Magdalena River.
The sector of influence of the Catatumbo river has temperatures averaging 24 °C with warm climates and humid, whereas in the zone of Cúcuta, it varies of dry to very dry; and in the mountainous area, great variety of climates that go from the temperings to the very cold ones, including inferior appears to the 12 °C.
A rich hydrographic system crosses the Department with three river basins of great importance: to the north the one of the Catatumbo river, to the west the one of the Magdalena river and to the southwest, the one of the Orinoco river.
Demographics
North Santander has a special demography due its border localization. Cúcuta
Cúcuta
Cúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
has the largest population rate where a lot of Venezuelans live. Other cities are Ocaña
Ocaña, Colombia
Ocaña is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Norte de Santander. Ocaña is the second largest populated center of this department. It played an important role during the Independence of Colombia from the Spanish monarchy.-History:...
and Pamplona
Pamplona, Colombia
Pamplona is a municipality and city in Norte de Santander, Colombia.-Colonization:Nueva Pamplona del Valle del Espíritu Santo, the name by which Don Pedro de Ursúa and Don Ortún Velasco de Velázquez paid tribute to the capital of the province of Navarre in Spain, was founded on 1 November 1549...
.
Statistics of Households
In this Department the citizens prefer to live in houses (89.8%).
Regions and municipalities
Western
- AbregoAbregoAbrego is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- CachiraCachiraCachira is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- ConvenciónConvenciónConvención is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- El CarmenEl Carmen, Norte de SantanderEl Carmen is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- La Esperanza
- HacariHacariHacari is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- La PlayaLa PlayaLa Playa or La Playa de Belen is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- Ocaña
- San CalixtoSan CalixtoSan Calixto is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- TeoramaTeoramaTeorama is a Colombian municipality located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
Eastern
- CúcutaCúcutaCúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
- El ZuliaEl ZuliaEl Zulia is a municipality of the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. A portion of this municipality is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta.-References:...
- Los PatiosLos PatiosLos Patios is a municipality and town in the Department of Norte de Santander, northeastern Colombia. Has a population of some 58,851 inhabitants. -History:The history of this community begins in the 17th century...
- Puerto SantanderPuerto SantanderPuerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
- San Cayetano
- Villa del RosarioVilla del Rosario, Norte de SantanderVilla del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
South-West
- CácotaCácotaCácota is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- ChitagáChitagáChitagá is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- MutiscuaMutiscuaMutiscua is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- Pamplona, ColombiaPamplona, ColombiaPamplona is a municipality and city in Norte de Santander, Colombia.-Colonization:Nueva Pamplona del Valle del Espíritu Santo, the name by which Don Pedro de Ursúa and Don Ortún Velasco de Velázquez paid tribute to the capital of the province of Navarre in Spain, was founded on 1 November 1549...
- PamplonitaPamplonitaPamplonita is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- Silos, Norte de SantanderSilos, Norte de SantanderSilos or Santo Domingo de Silos is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
Center
- ArboledasArboledasArboledas is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- CucutillaCucutillaCucutilla is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- GramaloteGramaloteGramalote is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.Currently, the complete destruction of the town is considered imminent due to massive mudslides brought about by unprecedented flooding that most of Colombia has undergone.Its average temperature is 23 °C...
- LourdesLourdes, Norte de SantanderLourdes is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- Salazar de las PalmasSalazar de las PalmasSalazar de las Palmas is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- SantiagoSantiago, Norte de SantanderSantiago is a Colombian municipality and town located in Norte de Santander Department.-References:...
- Villa CaroVilla CaroVilla Caro is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
Southeast
- BochalemaBochalemaBochalema is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- ChinácotaChinácotaChinácota is a small town and municipality located in the Department of Norte de Santander in Colombia, South America. This department is located on the North-Eastern region of the country, near the border with Venezuela...
- DuraníaDuraníaDuranía is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- HerránHerránHerrán is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- LabatecaLabatecaLabateca is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- RagonvaliaRagonvaliaRagonvalia is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
- ToledoToledo, Norte de SantanderToledo is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
Food
Among the typical dishes offered in the department there is Mute, Hayacas, of extended and rectangular form, the Cabrito, that is consumed roasted or cooked, the pies of chick-pea, that are an Indian called species of empanadaEmpanada
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America, Southern Europe and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing...
s and the maize surrounded ones. Other dishes are rampuche and panche.