Quibdó

Last updated

Quibdó
Municipality and town
Ciudad de Quibdo.jpg
Aerial views
Flag of Quibdo.svg
Escudo de quibdo.jpg
Colombia - Choco - Quibdo.svg
Coordinates: 5°41′32″N76°39′29″W / 5.69222°N 76.65806°W / 5.69222; -76.65806
CountryFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Region Pacific Region
Department Flag of Choco.svg Chocó Department
Founded1648
Government
  MayorRafael Bolaños Pino (2024 - 2027)
Area
   Municipality and town
3,507 km2 (1,354 sq mi)
  Urban
28.71 km2 (11.08 sq mi)
Elevation
43 m (141 ft)
Population
 (2018 census) [1]
   Municipality and town
129,237
  Density37/km2 (95/sq mi)
   Urban
113,124
  Urban density3,900/km2 (10,000/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-05 (Colombia Standard Time)
Area code 57 + 4
Website Official website (in Spanish)

Quibdó (Spanish pronunciation: [kiβˈðo] ) is the capital city of Chocó Department, in the Pacific Region of Colombia, and is located on the Atrato River. The municipality of Quibdó has an area of 3,507 square kilometres (1,354 sq mi) and a population of 129,237, [2] predominantly Afro Colombian, including Zambo Colombians. [3]

Contents

History

In prehistoric times, the Chocó rainforest and mountains constituted a major barrier dividing the Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations. The high rainfall and the extremely humid climate did not attract the Spanish colonists. The Emberá people ceded much of their territory to the Spanish Franciscan order in 1648. Subsequent attacks on colonial outposts by hostile tribes discouraged attempts at settlement. [4] Six years later, the Spanish began again to colonize the region, eventually establishing some lumber camps and plantations where they used enslaved Africans as workers.

It was not until the nineteenth century when there was interest in finding a shipping route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to avoid traveling via the Straits of Magellan that the Chocó region again became of significant interest to European colonial powers, as the Atrato River Valley was thought the best possibility for this purpose by the explorer Alexander von Humboldt; [5] however this idea was eventually shelved in favor of the Panama Canal. At the same time that research on using the Chocó to connect the Pacific and Atlantic was being carried out, gold and platinum were discovered in the Atrato Valley [5] and this ensured Quibdó’s growth and status as the chief town in the region.

Another crucial development at this time was the migration of freed black slaves into the Chocó; they were primarily working in shifting cultivation to cope with the extreme leaching from the super-humid climate. They also fished and harvested forest products. [6]

The 1853 watercolors by Manuel María Paz document two mestizo or European men with an Afro-Colombian street vendor, and depict the dress of Afro-Colombian and European women in the town square. [7] [8]

The Afro-Colombian communities established trade with highland cities such as Medellín via rough mule trails that were used until the 1950s. [9] A combination of population growth and declining values for the region’s natural resources gradually resulted in an economic downturn for the region and especially Quibdó.

Climate

Quibdó has an extremely wet and cloudy tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af) without noticeable seasons. It has the highest amount of rainfall in South America of any city of its size or greater. A comparable high-rainfall city of larger size, Monrovia in Liberia, receives 3,050 millimetres (120 in) less rain annually than Quibdó. The extreme rainfall occurs because the Andes, to the east of the city, block the westerly winds driven by the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Throughout the year, owing to the Humboldt Current off the West coast of South America, these winds remain centered in the north of the continent at Quibdó’s longitudes. The result is that the extremely unstable, ascending air from the Intertropical Convergence Zone is consistently forced to rise over the Chocó plain; as it cools, enormous quantities of moisture precipitate as rainfall. What is more, due to the exuberant nature and biodiversity in the region, a biotic pump phenomena causes the Chocó low-level-jet, another important factor in driving atmospheric moisture from the Pacific into the Colombian Andes. [10]

Rain falls almost every day from clouds in intense thunderstorms; the region has a wet season year round. Some 309 days (84%) of the year are rainy. Sunny periods seldom last more than a few hours after sunrise. Quibdó has only 1,276 hours of sunshine annually, and it ranks as one of the cloudiest cities in the world. Its sunniest month is July, with typically a total of 135 hours of sunshine for the entire month.

Climate data for Quibdó (Aeropuerto El Caraño)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)36.6
(97.9)
35.0
(95.0)
35.4
(95.7)
37.0
(98.6)
35.0
(95.0)
38.0
(100.4)
36.8
(98.2)
35.4
(95.7)
35.0
(95.0)
34.8
(94.6)
35.4
(95.7)
35.6
(96.1)
38.0
(100.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)30.1
(86.2)
30.2
(86.4)
30.4
(86.7)
30.8
(87.4)
31.0
(87.8)
31.2
(88.2)
31.1
(88.0)
31.0
(87.8)
30.7
(87.3)
30.4
(86.7)
30.2
(86.4)
29.6
(85.3)
30.6
(87.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)26.2
(79.2)
26.4
(79.5)
26.6
(79.9)
26.6
(79.9)
26.7
(80.1)
26.6
(79.9)
26.6
(79.9)
26.4
(79.5)
26.2
(79.2)
26.0
(78.8)
26.0
(78.8)
26.0
(78.8)
26.4
(79.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)23.0
(73.4)
23.1
(73.6)
23.2
(73.8)
23.4
(74.1)
23.2
(73.8)
23.0
(73.4)
22.8
(73.0)
22.9
(73.2)
22.8
(73.0)
22.7
(72.9)
22.8
(73.0)
23.0
(73.4)
23.0
(73.4)
Record low °C (°F)19.0
(66.2)
21.0
(69.8)
20.8
(69.4)
20.0
(68.0)
20.0
(68.0)
19.0
(66.2)
19.8
(67.6)
19.6
(67.3)
20.0
(68.0)
18.0
(64.4)
20.0
(68.0)
20.0
(68.0)
18.0
(64.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches)579.3
(22.81)
505.4
(19.90)
526.1
(20.71)
654.6
(25.77)
776.2
(30.56)
761.6
(29.98)
802.6
(31.60)
851.7
(33.53)
702.4
(27.65)
654.0
(25.75)
728.1
(28.67)
588.5
(23.17)
8,130.5
(320.1)
Average rainy days242122252726262727272626304
Average relative humidity (%)88868688878786878788888987
Mean monthly sunshine hours 90.583.485.692.9112.5114135.1132.7112.7116.7112.288.11,276.4
Source: INSTITUTO DE HIDROLOGIA METEOROLOGIA Y ESTUDIOS AMBIENTALES [11]

Transportation

Quibdó is served by El Caraño Airport with flights by three commercial airlines.

Notable residents

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Colombia</span>

The Republic of Colombia is situated largely in the north-west of South America, with some territories falling within the boundaries of Central America. It is bordered to the north-west by Panama; to the east by Brazil and Venezuela; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; and it shares maritime limits with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocó Department</span> Department of Colombia

Chocó Department is a department of the Pacific region of Colombia known for hosting the largest Afro-Colombian population in the nation, and a large population of Amerindian and mixed African-Amerindian Colombians. It is in the west of the country, and is the only Colombian department to have coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It contains all of Colombia's border with Panama. Its capital is Quibdó.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atrato River</span> River in northwestern Colombia

The Atrato River is a river of northwestern Colombia. It rises in the slopes of the Western Cordillera and flows almost due north to the Gulf of Urabá, where it forms a large, swampy delta. Its course crosses the Chocó Department, forming that department's border with neighboring Antioquia in two places. Its total length is about 650 km (400 mi), and it is navigable as far as Quibdó, the capital of the department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vigía del Fuerte</span> Municipality and town in Antioquia Department, Colombia

Vigía del Fuerte is a town and municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia. It is part of the Urabá Antioquia sub-region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atrato</span> Municipality and town in Chocó Department, Colombia

Atrato is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department near the Pacific Ocean, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of South America</span>

The geography of South America contains many diverse regions and climates. Geographically, South America is generally considered a continent forming the southern portion of the landmass of the Americas, south and east of the Colombia–Panama border by most authorities, or south and east of the Panama Canal by some. South and North America are sometimes considered a single continent or supercontinent, while constituent regions are infrequently considered subcontinents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific/Chocó natural region</span> Western coastal region in Colombia

The Pacific/Chocó region is one of the five major natural regions of Colombia. Ecologically, this region belongs entirely to the Chocó Biogeographic Region and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. It also has areas with the highest rainfall in the world, with areas near Quibdo, Chocó reaching up to 13,000 mm (510 in) annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Carmen de Atrato</span> Municipality and town in Colombia

El Carmen de Atrato is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acandí</span> Municipality and town in Chocó Department, Colombia

Acandí is a town in Colombia at the northern extremity of the department of Chocó in the northwest of Colombia, bordering Panama and the Caribbean Sea. It is 366 km (227 mi) from the department's capital, Quibdó. Its average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius (82 °F). It was founded around 1887, and it became a municipality in 1905, previously being part of Turbo. The name "Acandí" is a corruption of the indigenous word "Acanti", which means "River of Stone".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istmina</span> Municipality and city in Choco Department, Colombia

Istmina is a small city and municipality in the Chocó Department, Colombia. The city of Istmina was founded in 1834 by Juan Nepomuceno Mosquera, initially with the name of San Pablo. The name was changed in 1903 to Istmina, a contraction of isthmus and minas (mines), two characteristics of the area. The municipality covers 1,880 square kilometres (726 sq mi), with an average elevation of 79 metres (259 ft), and an average temperature of 26.7 °C (80 °F). Istmina is located 75 km (47 mi) from the departmental capital, Quibdó.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloró</span> Municipality and town in Chocó Department, Colombia

Lloró is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department, Colombia. It claims the second world record for highest average annual precipitation with 12,717 mm (501 in), after López de Micay, which holds an also disputed record with 12,892.4 mm (508 in). The official record is held by Mawsynram, India. The rainfall data was measured in its Agricultural Farm, managed by the University of Bogotá, between 1952 and 1989. If accurate, that would make it the wettest place in the world. The town is named for Gioró, a pre-Columbian indigenous chief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nóvita</span> Municipality and town in Chocó Department, Colombia

Nóvita is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riosucio, Chocó</span> Municipality and town in Chocó Department, Colombia

Riosucio is a municipality and town in the Department of Chocó, Colombia. The municipality and town are located in the Atrato River basin, on the Chocoan side of Urabá, a region spanning the departments Chocó and Antioquia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afro-Colombians</span> Colombian people of African descent

Afro-Colombians, also known as Black Colombians, are Colombians who have predominantly or total Sub-Saharan African ancestry, these stand out for having dark skin. In the national censuses of Colombia, black people are recognized as 3 official groups: the Raizals, the Palenques and other Afro-Colombians.

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Restrepo is a town and municipality in the Meta Department, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural regions of Colombia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teresa Martínez de Varela</span>

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References

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  2. "Colombia: Departments, Municipalities, Cities, Localities & Metropolitan Areas - Statistics & Maps on City Population". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  3. "Incursiones armadas ahogan en la zozobra al Chocó". El Tiempo. 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  4. "V!VA Travel Guides History - The History of Quibdó from V!VA's up-to-date book and ebook". www.vivatravelguides.com.
  5. 1 2 Kelley, Frederick M.; Kennish, William; and Serrell, Edward Wellman; The Practicability and Importance of a Ship Canal to Connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with a History of the Enterprise; published 1855 By George F. Nisbett
  6. Asher, Kiran; Black and Green: Afro-Colombians, Development and Nature in the Pacific Lowlands; p. 36. ISBN   978-0-8223-4483-4
  7. Paz, Manuel María. "View of a Street in Quibdó, Chocó Province". World Digital Library. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  8. Paz, Manuel María. "The Square of Quibdó, Chocó". World Digital Library. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  9. Zarsky, Lyuba; Human Rights and the Environment: Conflicts and Norms in a Globalizing World; pp. 177-178. ISBN   1-85383-815-2
  10. Sierra, Juan P.; Agudelo, Jhoana; Arias, Paola A.; Vieira, Sara C. "Sierra-J-IASCLIP.pdf" (PDF). usclivar.org. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  11. "QUIBDÓ". bart.ideam.gov.co.