Arauca
Municipality and city
Monument in front of the Arauca City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town of Arauca in the Arauca Department
Arauca Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 7°5′26″N 70°45′42″W / 7.09056°N 70.76167°W / 7.09056; -70.76167
Country	Colombia
Department	Arauca Department
Founded	December 4, 1780
Government
• Mayor	Benjamin Socadagüi Cermeño
Area
• Municipality and city	5,788 km2 (2,235 sq mi)
• Urban	21.39 km2 (8.26 sq mi)
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Population  (2018 Census)[1][2]
• Municipality and city	85,585
• Density	15/km2 (38/sq mi)
• Urban	74,195
• Urban density	3,500/km2 (9,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−5 (COL)
Postcode	810001-9
Area code	57 + 7
Climate	Aw
Website	Official website (in Spanish)

Arauca is a municipality and capital city of the Arauca Department of Colombia. Its full name is Villa de Santa Bárbara de Arauca, it is located at N 07° 05′ 25″ - W 70° 45′ 42″. The Municipality of Arauca has a total population of 85,585 (2018 census).^[1]

History

The Arauca region was explored by the German conquistador Jorge de la Espira, or Georg von Speyer, in 1536. The early Spanish did not stay because they were on the quest for El Dorado. However, they were later followed by Jesuits and land-grantees who founded the first settlements.

Arauca was founded on December 4, 1780, by Juan Isidro Daboín on the site of an indigenous hamlet of about ten families called Guahibo. Arauca was named after the Arauca River, which now separates it from Venezuela, which river in turn was named for the indigenous people the Arauca. The area is flat and subject to frequent flooding from the river.

At one point, it was the capital of the New Granada Province of Casanare which was much larger than the current Department of Casanare. In addition, the Villa de Santa Bárbara de Arauca, has been:

• Capital of the Republic, under the revolutionary government, constituted July 16, 1816;
• Capital of the Police District (Comisaría especial) since 1911;
• Capital of the Province (Intendencia Nacional) of Arauca, 1955–1991;
• Oil capital of Colombia since 1986;
• Capital of the Department of Arauca since 1991.

Climate

Demographics

Ethnic groups

The White and Mestizo people dominate the city making up 92.4% of its population together. Blacks make up 5.9% of the city and Indigenous people make up 1.7% of the city.

Economy

Since its founding, Arauca's primary business has been the raising of cattle, and this is still true. But increasingly, since 1984 it is the exploitation of nearby petroleum (oil sands) that has provided the bulk of municipal income in recent years. The building of the bridge, Puente José Antonio Páez, connecting it with Venezuela stimulated the economy, as did completion of the highway to Bogotá, known as The Route of the Liberators (La Ruta de los Libertadores). Arauca is now on the main surface route between Caracas and Bogotá.

Transportation

• Santiago Perez Airport