Darién province
| Darién | |
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| Data | |
| Capital | La Palma |
| population | 43,000 |
| surface | 11,091 km² |
| Population density | 4 people / km² |
| structure | 2 |
| Rivers | Río Atrato , Río Tuira |
| ISO 3166-2 | PA-5 |
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The Darién is a province of Panama on the border with Colombia . Their capital is La Palma .
geography
Darién extends from the Gulf of Darién or Urabá of the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf of San Miguel of the Pacific and is a densely forested, rain-rich hill country , which nowhere exceeds the height of 800 m.
From the lower Atrato , a pass only 142 m high leads to the upper Tuira , a 270 km long tributary of the Gulf of San Miguel, which is navigable 170 km.
The country is rich in gold.
In recent decades, the biodiversity of the primeval forests of Darién (including Darién National Park ), the only major transport route of which is the Panamericana to Yaviza , has been increasingly threatened by legally and illegally settling new settlers who have cleared fields and pastures for agriculture and livestock invest. The increasing illegal settlement of the Darién National Park by refugees from Colombia and other illegal new settlers is particularly endangering the ecosystem. The areas of the region that do not belong to the national park, especially those along the Panamericana, are characterized by slash and burn and the unplanned expansion of agriculture and grazing.
The province of Darién is in turn divided into two districts ( distritos ):
- Chepigana (with the capital La Palma)
- Pinogana (with the capital El Real de Santa María )
population
In the sparsely populated area, especially in the direct border area between Panama and Colombia, indigenous peoples live today, especially the Kuna and Chocó . They live largely according to their traditions and live relatively isolated in the tropical forests.
history
Around 1500 the coast of the Central American mainland was explored by Rodrigo de Bastidas ; he was accompanied by the adventurer Vasco Núñez de Balboa . In 1508, the Spanish crown decided to colonize the then known continental strip from today's Honduras to Cabo de la Vela in Colombia. Nuñez de Balboa came across the colonizers on adventurous paths in 1510, and the knowledge and decoration he had gained on his first voyage was so useful that he was appointed by the ship's crews as expedition leader and captain general. Among other things, he mentioned a place called Darién, whose inhabitants are friendly; Once there, he founded the settlement of Santa María la Antigua del Darién and was appointed governor of the region by the Spanish king. Three years later, with an escort of 190 people, he set out west, crossed the jungle and finally, on September 25, 1513, became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean . Because of the hot and humid tropical climate, the constantly rampant fever, the ongoing clashes with Indians and British pirates, the development of the Central American colonies did not develop positively. In 1870 the province had a total of only 9594 inhabitants and even today the area is still only sparsely populated with the exception of the north.
In 1698 the Company of Scotland tried to found a colony in the area , but failed due to insufficient preparation, adverse circumstances, the lack of support from English colonies and resistance from the Spanish. The financial consequences of this failure for the Scottish state are believed to be a major reason for the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and the establishment of the Kingdom of Great Britain .
s. also William Paterson (businessman) .
Tapon del Darién
The Darién is the last gap in the so-called Panamericana - trunk road network between North and South America. There is no road between the town of Yaviza in Panama and the Colombian Turbo , only unpaved dirt roads, which are often barely passable due to flooding. This gap is called Tapón del Darién (Spanish for "Darien plug", also known under the English name Darien Gap ). The route is a classic among adventure tourists, as it can only be mastered on foot or on an off-road motorcycle.
It has been planned to close this gap for a long time. Apart from the uncertain financing, there are several obstacles to this project: On the one hand, there is increased guerrilla activity in the area, on the other hand, conservationists want to prevent the road in order to protect the remaining untouched rainforest areas in the region.
Web links
Provinces: Bocas del Toro | Chiriquí | Coclé | Colón | Darién | Herrera | Los Santos | Panamá | Panamá Oeste | Veraguas
Territories: Emberá-Wounaan | Guna Yala | Ngöbe-Buglé - without provincial status: Kuna de Madugandí | Kuna de Wargandí
Coordinates: 8 ° 24 ' N , 77 ° 55' W