The Guajira Peninsula[ɡwaˈxiɾa] (Spanish: Península de La Guajira, also spelled Goajira, mainly in colonial period texts, Wayuu: Woumainpa’a) is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean. It is the northernmost peninsula in South America and has an area of 25,000 km2 (9,700 sq mi) extending from the Manaure Bay (Colombia) to the Calabozo Ensenada in the Gulf of Venezuela (Venezuela), and from the Caribbean to the Serranía del Perijá mountains range.
It was the subject of a historic dispute between Venezuela and Colombia in 1891, and on arbitration was awarded to the latter and joined to its Magdalena Department. Nowadays, most of the territory is part of Colombia, making it part of La Guajira Department. The remaining strip is part of the Venezuelan Zulia State. The northernmost part of the peninsula is called Punta Gallinas (12° 28´ N) and is also considered the northernmost part of mainland South America.[1]
The region receives the flow of the trade winds from the northern hemisphere. The northeastern coast of Venezuela and the Antilles have Guajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub. The trade winds cause a resurgence of the deep littoral waters and make the sea more rich in living species on the western side of the peninsula. The northeastern flank of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range acts as a barrier that generates abundant rainfall in its steppes, forming the headwaters of the Ranchería River, the only major river in the area. Climate and vegetation varies from south to north, presenting hyper-humid jungle weather in the southern part (with 3000 mm of rainfall a year) to the desertic areas in the north (300 mm a year).
A Jepirachi wind farm in the desert of the Guajira Peninsula
The peninsula is inhabited mainly by members of the native tribe of the Wayuu, who use the plains to raise cattle, sheep, goats and horses. The descendants of Spanish colonists settled in the southeastern part of the peninsula, sometimes referred to as the Padilla Province. This has more fertile land, due to the proximity to other river basins, such as the Cesar river basin. It has been developed for large plantations of cotton and sorghum, and for cattle ranching.
Since the 1980s the central area of the peninsula was subject to the exploration and exploitation of coal and natural gas in the area of Cerrejón and of oil in the littoral. A popular ecotourism destination in the area is Cabo de la Vela, a headland and village on the peninsula on the Colombia side.
"tall and well made. Formerly they were very intractable, but the Capuchins, who were in charge of the Catholic missions, have had a great influence over them, and large numbers have been converted. The chief towns are Paraguaipoa, Calabacito, Maricha, Marocaso, and Soldado, La Guajira."[2]
The Capuchins established three major orphanages, where they educated Wayuu children in Catholicism, Spanish, and European culture. In the 21st century, the government no longer requires Catholic education for the indigenous peoples. They are allowed to educate their children in the Wayuu traditions and language (Wayuunaiki).
In the novel Papillon (1970), Henri Charrière writes:
"The Goajira Indians are seafarers who fish for pearls. Their primary diet is said to consist of fish, turtle meat, turtle eggs and big green lizards, most likely Iguanas. Men and women are dressed only in a loincloth which covers their crotch."[3][verification needed][page needed]
The women wear dresses of woven cotton; and the men often wear shirts and pants to protect their legs from desert winds and plants.
(in Spanish) Henri Candelier. 1892. Riohacha y los Indios Guajiros. Crónica de un viajero y explorador francés quien durante tres años, 1889–1892, recorrió La Guajira.
(in Spanish) Martha Ligia Castellanos, Luis Carlos Pardo L. 2000. "Caracterización y primera aproximación a la determinación del índice de biodiversidad en los suelos de la cuenca del arroyo Mekijanao, Serranía de la Macuira, Alta Guajira." En: Juan Carlos Pérez (editor) X Congreso Nacional de la Ciencia del Suelo. Programa y resúmenes. El suelo un componente del medio natural. Medellín, Octubre 11 al 13 de 2000
(in Spanish) Edith González, Gabriel Guillot, Néstor Miranda, Diana Pombo (editores). 1990. Perfil Ambiental de Colombia. Colciencias. Escala. Bogotá.
(in Spanish) Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi. 1996. Diccionario Geográfico de Colombia. Edición en CD-ROM. Bogotá, Colombia.
Thomas Stadtmüller. 1987. Cloud Forests in the Humid Tropics. A Bibliographic Review. The United Nations University, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza. Turrialba, Costa Rica. 82 pp.
guajira, peninsula, other, uses, guajira, disambiguation, redirects, here, other, uses, guajira, disambiguation, ɡwaˈxiɾa, spanish, península, guajira, also, spelled, goajira, mainly, colonial, period, texts, wayuu, woumainpa, peninsula, northern, colombia, no. For other uses see Guajira disambiguation La Guajira Peninsula redirects here For other uses see La Guajira disambiguation The Guajira Peninsula ɡwaˈxiɾa Spanish Peninsula de La Guajira also spelled Goajira mainly in colonial period texts Wayuu Woumainpa a is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean It is the northernmost peninsula in South America and has an area of 25 000 km2 9 700 sq mi extending from the Manaure Bay Colombia to the Calabozo Ensenada in the Gulf of Venezuela Venezuela and from the Caribbean to the Serrania del Perija mountains range An aerial view of the Guajira Peninsula top center including parts of Colombia and Venezuela west of the Gulf of Venezuela and south of the Caribbean SeaIt was the subject of a historic dispute between Venezuela and Colombia in 1891 and on arbitration was awarded to the latter and joined to its Magdalena Department Nowadays most of the territory is part of Colombia making it part of La Guajira Department The remaining strip is part of the Venezuelan Zulia State The northernmost part of the peninsula is called Punta Gallinas 12 28 N and is also considered the northernmost part of mainland South America 1 Contents 1 Climate 2 Economy 3 Missionary history 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingClimate EditThe region receives the flow of the trade winds from the northern hemisphere The northeastern coast of Venezuela and the Antilles have Guajira Barranquilla xeric scrub The trade winds cause a resurgence of the deep littoral waters and make the sea more rich in living species on the western side of the peninsula The northeastern flank of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range acts as a barrier that generates abundant rainfall in its steppes forming the headwaters of the Rancheria River the only major river in the area Climate and vegetation varies from south to north presenting hyper humid jungle weather in the southern part with 3000 mm of rainfall a year to the desertic areas in the north 300 mm a year In the northern area a small range of mountains known as the Macuira reaches 900 m above sea level they trap some of the trade winds and mist forms Most of the mountain range is a protected area called National Natural Park of Macuira Nearby there is also the 80 km Flamingos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary Economy Edit A Jepirachi wind farm in the desert of the Guajira PeninsulaThe peninsula is inhabited mainly by members of the native tribe of the Wayuu who use the plains to raise cattle sheep goats and horses The descendants of Spanish colonists settled in the southeastern part of the peninsula sometimes referred to as the Padilla Province This has more fertile land due to the proximity to other river basins such as the Cesar river basin It has been developed for large plantations of cotton and sorghum and for cattle ranching Since the 1980s the central area of the peninsula was subject to the exploration and exploitation of coal and natural gas in the area of Cerrejon and of oil in the littoral A popular ecotourism destination in the area is Cabo de la Vela a headland and village on the peninsula on the Colombia side Missionary history EditThe mission of Goajira was carried out since the 1880s by Capuchin friars It was elevated by Pope Pius X on 17 January 1905 into a vicariate Apostolic dependent on the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs Mgr Attanasio Maria Vincenzo Soler Royo O F M Cap was appointed to the vicariate as titular Bishop of Citharizum on 18 April 1907 The early 20th century missionaries described the inhabitants of the area as tall and well made Formerly they were very intractable but the Capuchins who were in charge of the Catholic missions have had a great influence over them and large numbers have been converted The chief towns are Paraguaipoa Calabacito Maricha Marocaso and Soldado La Guajira 2 The Capuchins established three major orphanages where they educated Wayuu children in Catholicism Spanish and European culture In the 21st century the government no longer requires Catholic education for the indigenous peoples They are allowed to educate their children in the Wayuu traditions and language Wayuunaiki In the novel Papillon 1970 Henri Charriere writes The Goajira Indians are seafarers who fish for pearls Their primary diet is said to consist of fish turtle meat turtle eggs and big green lizards most likely Iguanas Men and women are dressed only in a loincloth which covers their crotch 3 verification needed page needed The women wear dresses of woven cotton and the men often wear shirts and pants to protect their legs from desert winds and plants See also EditDistocyclus goajira an electric fish T 63 Goajira a ship of the navy of Venezuela Guajira Department Guajira Barranquilla xeric scrub and La Guajira DesertReferences Edit USGS Caribbean Coast Guajira Peninsula coast Archived 2007 08 23 at the Wayback Machine USGS Accessed 24 August 2007 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help 1 Charriere Henri January 1970 Papillon London UK Hart Davis Macgibbon Ltd ISBN 0 246 63987 3 Further reading Edit in Spanish Henri Candelier 1892 Riohacha y los Indios Guajiros Cronica de un viajero y explorador frances quien durante tres anos 1889 1892 recorrio La Guajira in Spanish Martha Ligia Castellanos Luis Carlos Pardo L 2000 Caracterizacion y primera aproximacion a la determinacion del indice de biodiversidad en los suelos de la cuenca del arroyo Mekijanao Serrania de la Macuira Alta Guajira En Juan Carlos Perez editor X Congreso Nacional de la Ciencia del Suelo Programa y resumenes El suelo un componente del medio natural Medellin Octubre 11 al 13 de 2000 in Spanish Edith Gonzalez Gabriel Guillot Nestor Miranda Diana Pombo editores 1990 Perfil Ambiental de Colombia Colciencias Escala Bogota in Spanish Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi 1996 Diccionario Geografico de Colombia Edicion en CD ROM Bogota Colombia Thomas Stadtmuller 1987 Cloud Forests in the Humid Tropics A Bibliographic Review The United Nations University Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza Turrialba Costa Rica 82 pp 12 00 00 N 71 30 00 W 12 000 N 71 500 W 12 000 71 500 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Guajira Peninsula amp oldid 1167592773, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
