Albania, La Guajira
Encyclopedia
Albania is a town and municipality of the Colombia
n Department
of La Guajira. Is the youngest municipality of this Department along with the town of Uribia and others, created on March 19, 2000. Albania was previously an exclusive enclosed camp site for the Cerrejon
coal
mine workers and their families.
, northern Colombia presenting a predominantly flat and arid terrain by the steps of the Serrania del Perija
to the east and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
to the west, within the basin of the Ranchería River
. The municipality of Albania limits to the north with the municipality of Maicao; to the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Maicao; to the south with the municipalities of Hatonuevo
, to the west with the municipalities of Hatonuevo and Riohacha
.
The municipal seat is located at 72° 56’ east y 98° 08’ north. The municipality has a total area of 425 km². Since May, 2001 the Colombian government authorized a urban corridor between Albania and the locality of Cuestecitas of approximately 95 km² pertaining to the mining zone. The municipality has one of the largest deposits of coal
in Colombia.
The village of Calabacito was founded in the early 19th century and was first inhabited by indigenous groups pertaining to the Cocinas, Cariachiles and Wayuu
who, due to their nomad
traditions abandoned the area. It was repopulated later by former African slaves or their descendants probably escaping from the settlements of Moreno, Tabaco or Barrancas
.
These first inhabitants were blacks or mulatto
s and probably came also from a settlement known as "Soldado" in the early 20th century by 1903 escaping from political persecution or the civil war itself in which Colombia was engulfed between 1899 and 1902 known as the "Thousand Days War
".
The first settlers apparently were seeking to establish agricultural production. The area was largely populated by Crescentia cujete
(Calabash trees) colloquially known as Calabazos or Totumos.
Politically and administratively, Albania was along the settlements of Manantial, Cuestecitas and Los Remedios under the mandate of the Province of Santa Marta (Sovereign State of Magdalena) until the year 1911 when it became part of the Special Commissary of La Guajira.
The name of Calabacito was changed in 1937 by a commissar of La Guajira named Eduardo Londoño Villegas, who named it after his wife Alba or as other version suggests, after the country in the Balkans
, Albania
.
During the military dictatorship of Gen. Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
, Albania was annexed officially by Decree 1824 of 1954 to the Special Commissary of La Guajira; integrated by Uribia
(then capital) and the village of Maicao. Along Albania the villages of Cuestecitas and Manantial were also included through Executive Decree 807.
By Law 105 of December 12, 1960 the government of Colombia created the National Intendency of La Guajira, legalized by Decree 1824 by legislative act 1 of December 28 of the same year making La Guajira a department. The legislative act was officially enforced on July 1, 1965.
Albania became a municipality on March 27, 2000 by Ordinance 001 passed by the Department Assembly of La Guajira, presented by then deputy Alvaro Gustavo Rosado. The first Mayor of Albania was Adel Enrique Pinto, designated by Decrere 080 of March 29, 2000.
indigenous tribe influence.
In the 2005 census, 67% of people in the municipality of Albania lived in houses, 19% in apartments and 13% in a studio or rented room. 6.1% of these had a home based economy. 72% of the population had electricity service, 43% had sewer services, 66% had aqueduct service, 27% had natural gas service and 24% had a home telephone.
the population of Albania in terms of gender is made up by 51% of males and 49% of females, presenting a relatively young population. 29% of these considered itself indigenous while a 10% mestizo
, raizal
or Afro-Colombian
.
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...
n Department
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of La Guajira. Is the youngest municipality of this Department along with the town of Uribia and others, created on March 19, 2000. Albania was previously an exclusive enclosed camp site for the Cerrejon
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mine workers and their families.
Geography
The municipality of Albania is located in the Guajira PeninsulaGuajira Peninsula
Guajira Peninsula , is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea...
, northern Colombia presenting a predominantly flat and arid terrain by the steps of the Serrania del Perija
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
to the east and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
to the west, within the basin of the Ranchería River
Ranchería River
The Ranchería River is a river located in northern La Guajira Department, Colombia. Born in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta southern steps flows south, abruptly turns northeast and then north towards the Caribbean sea where it finally flows into.-2007 Floods:...
. The municipality of Albania limits to the north with the municipality of Maicao; to the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Maicao; to the south with the municipalities of Hatonuevo
Hatonuevo
Hatonuevo is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira. A municipality of the La Guajira Department since 1994, it has a population of approximately 17,014 inhabitants, the majority being workers of El Cerrejon coal mine.The town has an extension of 347 km2 and is...
, to the west with the municipalities of Hatonuevo and Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
.
The municipal seat is located at 72° 56’ east y 98° 08’ north. The municipality has a total area of 425 km². Since May, 2001 the Colombian government authorized a urban corridor between Albania and the locality of Cuestecitas of approximately 95 km² pertaining to the mining zone. The municipality has one of the largest deposits of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
in Colombia.
History
Wayuu
Wayuu is an Amerindian ethnic group of the La Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela. They are part of the Maipurean language family.- Geography :...
who, due to their nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
traditions abandoned the area. It was repopulated later by former African slaves or their descendants probably escaping from the settlements of Moreno, Tabaco or Barrancas
Barrancas, La Guajira
Barrancas is a town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira. The municipality of Barrancas is located to the left margin of the Ranchería River in a valley formed between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains and the Serrania del Perija. Barrancas has a total area of 742 km²...
.
These first inhabitants were blacks or mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
s and probably came also from a settlement known as "Soldado" in the early 20th century by 1903 escaping from political persecution or the civil war itself in which Colombia was engulfed between 1899 and 1902 known as the "Thousand Days War
Thousand Days War
The Thousand Days' War , was a civil armed conflict in the newly created Republic of Colombia, between the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical factions. In 1899 the ruling conservatives were accused of maintaining power through fraudulent elections...
".
The first settlers apparently were seeking to establish agricultural production. The area was largely populated by Crescentia cujete
Crescentia cujete
Crescentia cujete, commonly known as the Calabash Tree, is species of flowering plant that is native to Central and South America. It is a dicotyledonous plant with tripinnate leaves...
(Calabash trees) colloquially known as Calabazos or Totumos.
Politically and administratively, Albania was along the settlements of Manantial, Cuestecitas and Los Remedios under the mandate of the Province of Santa Marta (Sovereign State of Magdalena) until the year 1911 when it became part of the Special Commissary of La Guajira.
The name of Calabacito was changed in 1937 by a commissar of La Guajira named Eduardo Londoño Villegas, who named it after his wife Alba or as other version suggests, after the country in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
.
During the military dictatorship of Gen. Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
, Albania was annexed officially by Decree 1824 of 1954 to the Special Commissary of La Guajira; integrated by Uribia
Uribia, La Guajira
Uribia is town and municipality of the Colombian Department of La Guajira. It is the youngest municipality of this Department since the year 2000. Northern Zone of the Cerrejón coal mines are located in this municipality. The municipality also contains the Serranía de Macuira mountain range which...
(then capital) and the village of Maicao. Along Albania the villages of Cuestecitas and Manantial were also included through Executive Decree 807.
By Law 105 of December 12, 1960 the government of Colombia created the National Intendency of La Guajira, legalized by Decree 1824 by legislative act 1 of December 28 of the same year making La Guajira a department. The legislative act was officially enforced on July 1, 1965.
Albania became a municipality on March 27, 2000 by Ordinance 001 passed by the Department Assembly of La Guajira, presented by then deputy Alvaro Gustavo Rosado. The first Mayor of Albania was Adel Enrique Pinto, designated by Decrere 080 of March 29, 2000.
Indigenous reserves
- Resguardo Indígena Wayúu de la Alta y Media Guajira
- Resguardo Indígena Wayúu Cuatro de Noviembre
Demographics
In 2001 the population of Albania was of approximately 8,637 inhabitants with 3,535 of these living in the seat of the municipality. There were 707 homes and some 807 families. The area is a traditional territory of WayuuWayuu
Wayuu is an Amerindian ethnic group of the La Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela. They are part of the Maipurean language family.- Geography :...
indigenous tribe influence.
In the 2005 census, 67% of people in the municipality of Albania lived in houses, 19% in apartments and 13% in a studio or rented room. 6.1% of these had a home based economy. 72% of the population had electricity service, 43% had sewer services, 66% had aqueduct service, 27% had natural gas service and 24% had a home telephone.
the population of Albania in terms of gender is made up by 51% of males and 49% of females, presenting a relatively young population. 29% of these considered itself indigenous while a 10% mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
, raizal
Raizal
The Raizals are a Protestant Afro-Caribbean ethnic group, speaking the San Andrés-Providencia Creole, an English Creole, living in the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, presently the Colombian San Andrés y Providencia Department, off the Nicaraguan Miskito Coast...
or Afro-Colombian
Afro-Colombian
Afro Colombians refers to Colombians of African ancestry, and the great impact they have had on Colombian culture. Notable Afro-Colombians include Colombian scientists like Raul Cuero, writers like Manuel Zapata Olivella and politicians:...
.