Maria La Baja
Encyclopedia
María La Baja is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department
, northern Colombia
.
) on December 8, 1535.
, to the east with the municipalities of Mahates
and San Juan Nepomuceno
, south with the municipalities of El Carmen de Bolívar
and San Jacinto
and to the west with the municipality of San Onofre
, Sucre
. The town of María La Baja has an area of approximately 150 km² and it's some 72 km away from the Department's capital Cartagena
.
A warm climate prevails throughout the year at an average temperature of 28°C.
began to battle FARC, catching civilians in the crossfire. However the security situation has improved more recently with the AUC bloc Heroes de los Montes de María giving up their weapons on July 14, 2005, under a national demobilization plan speared by the government of Álvaro Uribe
. Marines have set up a base on the edge of the town. http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8892695
Bolívar Department
Bolívar is a department of Colombia. It was named after one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. It is located to the north of the country, extending from the coast at Cartagena near the mouth of the Magdalena River, then south along the river to a border with Antioquia.Its...
, northern 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...
.
History
María La Baja was founded by Alonso de Heredia (brother of Pedro de HerediaPedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia, Spanish conqueror, founder of the city Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia.Noble from birth, for being involved in many brawls he was forced to leave Spain. He established himself in La Española. Later on, he accepted the job of lieutenant offered by the governor of Santa Marta,...
) on December 8, 1535.
Geography and climate
The municipality of María La Baja has a total area of 547 km², bordering to the north with the municipality of ArjonaArjona
Arjona is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. It's close to Cartagena de Indias.-Famous People From Arjona:*Ernesto Frieri, professional baseball player...
, to the east with the municipalities of Mahates
Mahates
Mahates is a river town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town of Mahates was founded on April 17, 1533 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia....
and San Juan Nepomuceno
San Juan Nepomuceno, Bolívar
San Juan Nepomuceno is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. It is named after Saint John of Nepomuk...
, south with the municipalities of El Carmen de Bolívar
El Carmen de Bolívar
El Carmen de Bolívar is a municipality and town of the northern Colombian Department of Bolivar. Founded on February 16, 1779 by the Spanish infantry Lieutenant Antonio de La Torre y Miranda,El Carmen de Bolivar lies in the central region of the Bolivar Department.-History:This area was initially...
and San Jacinto
San Jacinto, Bolívar
San Jacinto is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town is famous as the birthplace of the Latin Grammy Award winner cumbia group Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto....
and to the west with the municipality of San Onofre
San Onofre, Sucre
San Onofre is a town and municipality located in the Sucre Department, northern Colombia.-References:...
, Sucre
Sucre Department
Sucre is a department in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. The department ranks 27th by area, and it has a population of 772,010, ranking 20th of all the 32 departments of Colombia...
. The town of María La Baja has an area of approximately 150 km² and it's some 72 km away from the Department's capital Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
.
A warm climate prevails throughout the year at an average temperature of 28°C.
Involvement in armed conflict
María La Baja has grown substantially in recent years as some 7000 people have moved into the town from the surrounding countryside, since 2000 when the FARC guerrilla group arrived in the hills nearby. According to reportshttp://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8892695, the FARC militants stole cattle. The situation deteriorated further when AUC paramilitariesUnited Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
began to battle FARC, catching civilians in the crossfire. However the security situation has improved more recently with the AUC bloc Heroes de los Montes de María giving up their weapons on July 14, 2005, under a national demobilization plan speared by the government of Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
. Marines have set up a base on the edge of the town. http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8892695