Darién Province

Location of Darién Province in Panama

Darien is a province of Panama with its capital in the city of La Palma. It covers an area of ​​11,896.5 km². It is located at the eastern end of the country and bordered to the north with the province of Panamá and the region of Kuna Yala. To the south it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Republic of Colombia. To the east it borders the Republic of Colombia, and to the west borders the Pacific Ocean and the province of Panama.

Place names

The name originates from the Darien language spoken by the indigenous Cueva, an Indian tribe that was wiped out by the Conquistadors along the century Just the name Tanela Tanel or river which flows into the left bank under Atrato. Tanela River (the Aluka Tiwal Native), and degenerated Hispanicized pronunciation, took the name of Darien. This name was designated region where they settled and the different communities there were or were established. He was later the name was known the river Note that in the Spanish Santa María la Antigua del Darién, the first city founded in Terra Firma took its name from this river. Subsequently appointed to the region with this name, and defined the limits to the Urabá.

History

In 1508 the Crown decided to colonize the mainland, the area chosen understood from Cape Gracias a Dios, West Central America (in the present boundaries between Nicaragua and Honduras), to Cape de la Vela in Venezuela, in the east.

The provinces in the mainland was divided were: a) New Andalusia between the Atrato River in the Gulf of Uraba and the Cabo de la Vela, Venezuela, and b) or Veragua Castilla del Oro, which stretched from the River Atrato to Cape Gracias a Dios in Central America.

The Governor of Nueva Andalucía was Alonso de Ojeda and the Castilla del Oro or Veragua was Diego de Nicuesa, who became the first Governor of the Isthmus of Panama, as it was included in the province under its jurisdiction. On the other hand, Diego de Nicuesa founded Nombre de Dios in 1510.

The Bachelor Martin Fernandez de Enciso founded Santa Maria la Antigua del Darien, west of the Gulf of Urabá in September 1510, at the suggestion of Basque Nunez de Balboa, who knew those lands have come to them with Rodrigo de Bastidas.

On September 1, 1513 Balboa went in search of the South Sea percent noveta (190) and Spanish (1,000) Indians. He managed to see the sea on September 25, 1513 and took possession of it, the September 29 of that year, in the Gulf of San Miguel.

In the late seventeenth century there was a Scottish colonization project in the Isthmus of Panama, specifically in Darien, where emerges the figure of the visionary William Patterson as the centerpiece of the unsuccessful attempt empresa.El colonizer of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies is part of the conflict of interest between Spain and other European powers from the sixteenth century as a reaction to the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).

On July 14, 1698, Patterson left with a aexpedición of around 1,200 people on five ships (Saint Andrew, Caledonia, Unicorn, Dolphin and Endeavour) from Leith, Scotland. The expedition landed on October 30, 1698 in Anachucuna sandy bay in the north of Darien, near the celebrated Golden Island called a "treaty of alliance and friendship" with an Indian leader and founded in ancient Acla the colony they called New Caledonia.

Withstood a Spanish force that attempted to challenge. However, the climate unhealthy and unsanitary conditions, typical of this region were quickly decimated the expedition members. Consequently, in June 1699 the Scots were forced to leave New Caledonia, despite protests from Patterson. Retreated to Jamaica.

A second expedition left Scotland on September 24, 1699 Port Clyde River with four ships, the Rising Sun, Hamilton, Hope of Boroughstonness and Company's Hope. He had a total crew of 1300 were men. On November 30, 1699 arrived safely at the port of Caledonia. However, this new attempt to found a much greater resistance by the Spanish forces and were constantly besieged and outnumbered and without external support until, on March 28th 1700, requested the Spanish commander will establish the conditions for surrender.

Government and politics

The Constitution of Panama of 1972, as amended by the Reform Acts of 1978 and by the Constitutional Act of 1983, has a unitary, republican, democratic and representative. They represented the three branches of government, as for the other provinces of the Republic of Panama.

Districts and villages

During the time of annexation to Colombia, Law 23 of July 1824, the Congress of Colombia eliminated the Mayor of Darien and created the "Canton of Darien," incorporated into the province of Panama.

In 1855, the establishment of the Federal State of Panama, Panamanian territory was divided into departments and districts. It also established the region of Darien, with Yaviza as the head, in 1890, the head moved to Chepigana. With the separation of Panama from Colombia in 1903, retained his title Darien region.

Law No. 22 of December 27 of the 1922 created the province of Darien, divided into two districts (Chepigana and Pinogana), with the head to La Palma.

+ Districts and municipalities of Darien	-	| Villages | | Header District	-	Chepigana	La Palma Camoganti Chepigana Garachiné Jaqué Puerto Piña, Congo River, River Churches Sambú Seteganti [[Taimati (Township of Chepigana) | Taimati] ], Tucutí Agua Fria Cucunatí Congo River Top Santa Fe	La Palma	-	Pinogana	The Real de Santa Maria Boca de Cupe [[Paya (district of Pinogana) | Paya] ], Pinogana Pucuro Yape Yaviza Metetí Wargandi	The Real de Santa Maria

Subsequently, Law No. 22 of 8 November 1983, created the Emberá of Darien, Official Gazette No. 19.976 of January 17, 1984 and Executive Decree No. 84 of April 9, 1999 the Ministry of Government and Justice, issues the Administrative Charter Emberá-Wounaan of Darien, in the Official Gazette No. 23.776 of 16 April 1999.

The Kuna of Wargandi, was created by Law No. 34, July 25 2000, in a geographic area segregated from Chepigana and Pinogana districts in the province of Darien, with an area of ​​77.500 hectares.

Currently the province of Darién comprises four political-administrative districts: Chepigana Pinogana, CEMAC and Sambu.

Geography

The Darien Province covers an area of ​​11,896 km ², an area similar to that of the island of Jamaica, which is incorporated in its central part by an undulating plain why develop the valleys of the rivers Chucunaque and Tuira, and is framed by steep areas of the highlands of San Blas, Catfish, Pirre and Toad.

The highest mountains of the Darien province are: Tacarcuna (2.280 m), Pineapple (1.581 m), Pirre (1.569 m), Nique (1,550 m), Chucantí (1.430 m), Pavarandó (m), Armila (m), Tanela (1.415 m), Frog (m) and Upper Quia (1,361 m)

In relation to the country, Darien has 8% of land suitable for intensive cultivation, 60% suitable for pasture, permanent crops and forestry production, and 25% for protection and forest reserves. The dominant natural vegetation is forests Darien, which according to the topographic elevation and rainfall patterns are classified as tropical wet, tropical wet and premontane rain.

Climate

Rainfall reaches 1,700 to 2,000 mm in the vicinity of the inlet of Garachiné, with a marked dry period between January and April (according to Köppen Climate Aw) However, in the foothill areas and valleys of the interior of the province precipitation can exceed 8000 mm per year and virtually no dry season (Köppen climate as Af), being framed in the region concerned Rainier planet. The temperature varies with altitude between 17 ° and 35 ° C, The different types of soils and their suitability for use are mainly associated with topographic variations and geological materials generators.

Hydrology

In the Darien region watersheds are extensive waterways, sediment, pouring its waters into the various rivers such as Rio Chucunaque (231 km) and Tuira (230 km), which are both the longest and rivers in Panama .

The hydrographic system of Darien a marked minimum in flows during the period from March to April and a peak in November.

Currently, the use of water resources is largely limited to the provision of potable water services to 15 towns. The lack of detailed information on topography, hydrometeorology and fluviometría not possible to estimate hydropower potential, but it is advisable to corresponding studies in rivers Pirre, Antad, Tuira, Chico and Yape.

Demographics

The population of the province is characterized by small, dispersed and heterogeneous, and is located in numerous small towns linked to waterways. Permanently recorded very significant migration flows to and from the province.

In 1970 population totaled 22,685 inhabitants, which consisted mainly mulattos, blacks, Colombian Chocoanos indigenous and settlers from other areas of Panama. Approximately 60% of this population is located in 523 towns of less than 500 inhabitants each.

For the year 2000 the Census of Population and Housing showed that the population Darien in May of that year was 40.284 inhabitants, and had some 11.514 dwellings, distributed in 613 towns.

Preliminary data from the XI National Census of Population and Housing VI, show that Darien has a population of 16 May 2010 of 46.951 inhabitants, 25.764 of which 21.187 are men and women. In addition, there were a total of 15.310 homes.

Culture

Darien The population is mostly indigenous Afro-descendants and settlers who migrated from other provinces (mainly chiricanos Santeña Herrerano and Veraguas) in search of good land and better opportunities.

The musical expression that distinguishes the people of Darien is the bullarengue, which is a dance of purely African descent drum. However, each of the groups who have migrated to this province are struggling to preserve their roots and maintain their customs and traditions, despite the strong pressure exerted by Colombian migrants and radio stations in that country, tend to favor the taste of Darien by the folklore of the border Colombia, specifically by the Vallenato.

Despite the hodgepodge of groups can be seen in Darien identification of incipient population (men and women) with their land and a nascent interest in making their regionalism to speak, preparing dishes of the region.

It is common for food preparation as the bastard of shellfish, fish and coconut rice, also the serendengue among others. It is traditional to drink a kind of stew made with plantain, which is here called "choca'o."

It is normal to use hand-sewn dresses completamenre the woman while the man is dressed as a man of the city.

We mention that the main crops grown in the province are maize, rice, plantains, bananas, cassava, yams and beans.

In the Gulf of San Miguel fishery resources are abundant in shrimp, fish, and lobsters, which are operated by a fleet that operates directly from the city of Panama. In the inland rivers of the province fishing is practiced mainly for subsistence.

Another item is the timber, and which are extracted precious woods (Cedar, Balsa, Balsam, Fox, Mahogany, Cocobolo, ETC ...)

References

Panama in figures: Years 2000-2004, The Statistics and Census of the Comptroller General of the Republic.GNP: صوبہ دیریاں