Department of Pando

The department of Pando is one of the nine departments into which Bolivia is divided. Its capital and most populated city is Cobija. It is located in the extreme northwest of the country, bordering to the north with the Federative Republic of Brazil, to the south with the departments of Beni and La Paz, and to the west with the Republic of Peru. The department has a population of 110,436 inhabitants according to the official 2012 census. At the national level, Pando is the least populated department in Bolivia, with a density of 1.7 inhab/km² (the least densely populated).

The department was created on September 24, 1938 during the government of President Germán Busch Becerra with geopolitical objectives, it was named in recognition and homage to former President José Manuel Pando who was one of the first Bolivian explorers to venture into the region, at that time called National Territory of Colonies.

According to official data from the National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia, in 2018 the economy of the entire Department of Pando (Gross Domestic Product) reached US$ 373 million dollars, representing 0.91% of the Total Economy of Bolivia (40,581 million). Regarding per capita income (GDP per capita), the department closed 2018 with US$2,593 on average per inhabitant.

Pando has a mostly flat relief and has an average altitude of 280 meters above sea level. It has a tropical climate and is covered by the Amazon jungle and crossed by innumerable rivers. The lowlands are characterized by frequent flooding that affects much of the land for several months of the year.

Communication with the rest of the country is through National Route 13 that connects the department of Pando and the department of Beni.

The department of Pando is made up of 5 provinces, which are: Nicolás Suárez province, Manuripi province, Madre de Dios province, Federico Román province and Abuná province, which in turn are divided into municipalities. The department is divided into 15 municipalities. Its capital is Cobija which has about 65,000 inhabitants.

History

Diverse nomadic indigenous tribes inhabited the region of what is now the departmental territory, where the Amazonian tribes of the Yaminahuas, Tacanas, Ese'ejjas, Toromonas, Machineris, Cavineños and Pacahuaras ethnic groups settled. Findings of an archaeological site were also found in the town of Las Piedras in the south of the department, it would be a wall made of stone that probably would have been built by an ethnic group organized against the expansion of the Inca Empire. During the colony, Spanish expeditions entered with tragic results for the Europeans, in the search of the Paitití.

Republican era

In 1842 during the government of José Ballivián, the territory where the department is located today became part of the department of Beni. In 1867, President Mariano Melgarejo ceded half of the territory to the then Empire of Brazil in the Treaty of Ayacucho.

It would not be until the 19th century in the 80s when the territory began to be populated by rubber tappers and explorers from the department of Santa Cruz, founding their settlements known as barracks.

During the presidency of Aniceto Arce, the National Congress passed the Law of October 28, 1890, by which the National Delegations of the Madre de Dios and the Purús River were created, which were a peculiar way of calling a territory that it lacked defined geographical and legal personality and was not part of any department either. One of the causes of the creation of the Delegations and Territories of Colonies was the permanent dispute, sometimes at the point of a bullet and at the point of a machete, between the owners of rubber fields who did not know exactly where their property began and ended.

Just through D.S. On May 16, 1893, the National Delegation was created in the northwestern region of the country, on the Purús, Madre de Dios, Beni and Aquiri rivers (current Acre river). Likewise, its first Delegate, Lisímaco Gutiérrez, was appointed. It was not until 1899 that the national government ordered the creation of Puerto Alonso (whose name would change to Puerto Acre) as a late way of establishing sovereignty. The Brazilians were already settled in the aforementioned number and the Bolivians had barely reached the vicinity of what is now Xapuri. In Alto Acre, in those years, there was only one Bolivian named Ángel Roca.

On March 8, 1900, President José Manuel Pando created the National Territory of the Northwest Colonies by Supreme Decree, officially separating it from the department of Beni, no longer as a delegation, but as a national territory independent of any department, as a strategy to better control that area against the arrival of Brazilians to the north of the territory at the time of the Acre War.

After the end of the Acre War and with the treaties of Petrópolis with Brazil in 1903 during the presidency of José Manuel Pando and the Polo-Bustamente with Peru in 1909 during the presidency of Eliodoro Villazón, finally the borders of the National Territory of the Northwest Colonies were officially delimited with both countries.

Creation of the department

In 1938, President Germán Busch created the department of Pando by supreme decree through the Constituent Assembly held that same year, in honor of José Manuel Pando, in the National Territory of Northwest Colonies. as capital of the department to the town of Puerto Rico and leaving the province of Vaca Díez as part of the department of Beni. The ninth department was created with four provinces: Tahuamanu (with its capital Cobija), Abuná (with its capital Manoa), Manuripi (with its capital Puerto Rico) and Madre de Dios (with its capital Las Piedras).

In 1945, during the presidency of Gualberto Villarroel, the capital of the new department officially became the city of Cobija.

Government and administration

According to the current Political Constitution of Bolivia, the highest authority of the Department is the Governor, but with restricted functions, followed by the lieutenant governor. Since 2005 the governor, formerly called the prefect, has been elected by direct popular vote for a period of 5 years (previously the position was appointed by the president of Bolivia).

Similarly, the Department of Pando also has a Departmental Assembly (similar to a departmental legislature, but with restricted functions) of 21 members called assembly members. Each Pandino municipality receives a minimum of 1 assembly member, with the remaining assembly members assigned according to the number of indigenous inhabitants and jurisdictions. The election of the assembly members corresponds by law to the municipalities and regional communities with indigenous autonomy.

As of 2010, a governor and an assembly were elected, in accordance with the provisions of the new Bolivian constitution.

Territorial division

Annex: Pandino Municipalities by population

The department of Pando is made up of 5 provinces that are divided into municipalities:

Economy

The Abuná River.

Cobija is currently more dependent on gold mining and almond production, most of which is sold to Brazil. The presence of gold, lithium, cinnabar, ilmenite, bauxite, columbite, precious and semi-precious stones has been established.

Due to the characteristics of the tropical zone, the department of Pando has crops of: corn, cocoa, coffee, cassava or cassava, rice, tropical fruits, legumes and vegetables.

Livestock is an important activity for the inhabitants of the region. As for fishing, the rivers are the habitat of a great variety of fish like him; pacú, surubí, dorado, pomfret, tarpon, catfish and tilefish.

Trade

Since the time of the syringa, trade has been promoted with products mainly imported from Brazil, Peru, most of Chile and various departments of Bolivia. Zofra Cobija gives the pandina capital the benefits of a free zone and although the industry on a larger scale is not yet encouraged, they have logistics for trade.

Agriculture

The climate of the department of Pando, due to the characteristics of the tropical zone, has crops of: corn, cocoa, coffee, cassava or cassava, rice, tropical fruits, legumes and vegetables.

Mining

In Pando, the presence of gold, lithium, cinnabar, ilmenite, bauxite, columbite, precious and semi-precious stones has been established, sometimes being one of the exports to Brazil.

Fishing

Rivers are the habitat of a wide variety of fish like him; pacú, surubí, dorado, pomfret, tarpon, catfish and tilefish.

Roads of transport

The department of Pando communicates with the interior and exterior of the country by air through an airport where Boeing-type ships operate, with capacity for larger-scale operations. This is the main route of physical communication. The rivers, natural means of communication, serve as a link between its regions. By land, several interdepartmental and interprovincial highways are under construction.

Livestock

Thanks to the territorial extension in a part of the department, they are dedicated to raising high-quality cattle.

Size of the economy of the Pando Department (GDP) Average watering per inhabitant (PIB per Capita)
Year	GDP (in dollars)	GDPper Capita (in dollars)	Growth Departmental GDP
1988	US$ 33 million	US$ 784
1989	US$ 34 million	US$ 785	+ 3.24 %
1990	US$ 38 million	US$ 855	+ 12.79 %
1991	US$ 38 million	US$ 858	- 1.01 %
1992	US$ 39 million	US$ 854	- 2.02 %
1993	US$ 40 million	US$ 873	+ 6.51 %
1994	US$ 44 million	US$ 933	+ 9.68 %
1995	US$ 50 million	US$ 1 048	+ 6.30 %
1996	US$ 55 million	$124	+ 3.65 %
1997	US$ 60 million	US$ 1 213	+ 7.90 %
1998	US$ 70 million	US$ 1 389	+ 13.80 %
1999	US$ 73 million	US$ 1 410	+ 5.71 %
2000	US$ 76 million	US$ 1 451	+ 8.11 %
2001	US$ 78 million	US$ 1 356	+ 5.42 %
2002	US$ 73 million	$170	+ 0.70 %
2003	US$ 71 million	US$ 1 045	- 1.01 %
2004	US$ 76 million	US$ 1 041	+ 4.20 %
2005	US$ 89 million	$144	+ 4.29 %
2006	US$ 99 million	$189	+ 5.35 %
2007	US$ 128 million	US$ 1 445	+ 11.68 %
2008	US$ 158 million	US$ 1 694	+ 5.59 %
2009	US$ 155 million	US$ 1 579	+ 0.51 %
2010	US$ 185 million	US$ 1 786	+ 4.05 %
2011	US$ 224 million	US$ 2 058	+ 2.37 %
2012	US$ 244 million	US$ 2 140	+ 2.53 %
2013	US$ 268 million	US$ 2 257	+ 3.02 %
2014	US$ 284 million	US$ 2 294	+ 4.84 %
2015	US$ 292 million	US$ 266	+ 2.85 %
2016	US$ 310 million	US$ 2 317	+ 2.45 %
2017	US$ 339 million	US$ 2 442	+ 2.91 %
2018	US$ 373 million	US$ 2 593	+ 7.03 %
2019
Note: In red, the years of decrease of GDP 0% Down. In green, the years of Regular growth of GDP 0% and 4,50%. In blue, the years of Good growth GDP 4.50% up. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bolivia INE(2019)

Departments of Bolivia according to the size of their economy GDP (gross domestic product) in 2018
Position	Department	Gross Domestic Product	Comparable country in GDP
1.o	Santa Cruz	US$ 11 811 million	BahamasBahamas
2.	La Paz	US$ 11 319 million	MoldovaMoldova
3.o	Cochabamba	US$ 6 037 million	EritreaEritrea
4.o	Tarija	US$ 3 204 million	SurinameSuriname
5.o	Potosí	US$ 2 627 million	SeychellesSeychelles
6.o	Oruro	US$ 2 071 million	Central African RepublicCentral African Republic
7.	Chuquisaca	US$ 2 030 million	Cape VerdeCape Verde
8.	Beni	US$ 1 104 million	GrenadaGrenada
9.	Pando	US$ 373 million	MicronesiaMicronesia
Total	BoliviaBolivia	US$ 40,581 million	TunisiaTunisia
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bolivia INE(2019)
Departments of Bolivia for average inhabitant wealth (gross domestic product per cup) in 2018
Position	Department	GDP per Capita	Comparable country per capita GDP
1.o	Tarija	US$ 5 689	IraqIraq
2.	La Paz	US$ 3 926	El SalvadorEl Salvador
3.o	Oruro	US$ 3 849	IndonesiaIndonesia
4.o	Santa Cruz	US$ 3 663	Cape VerdeCape Verde
Average	BoliviaBolivia	US$ 3 589	BoliviaBolivia
5.o	Chuquisaca	US$ 3 243	MoroccoMorocco
6.o	Cochabamba	US$ 3 062	PhilippinesPhilippines
7.	Potosí	US$ 2 961	Ukraine Ukraine
8.	Pando	US$ 2 593	EgyptEgypt
9.	Beni	US$ 2 359	HondurasHonduras
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bolivia INE(2019)

Water resources

The Mother of God River.

The department of Pando is a region with a high level of precipitation, 1865 mm on average (between 143 and 1990) with a maximum of 2423 mm (1972) and a minimum of 1298 mm (1963). The rainy season runs from October to April, and the dry season has its minimum rainfall in July. Surface waters are abundant throughout the year, but are of variable quality.

The Madre de Dios River and the Tahuamanu River, both tributaries of the Beni River, upper course of the Madera River, which belong to the great Amazon basin, are the main sources of surface water. For the supply of drinking water, the city of Cobija is supplied from the Bahía stream, on the border with Brazil.

The rivers of the department of Pando correspond in their entirety to the Amazon basin, the main ones are: the Acre, which borders Brazil, the Orthon which is born from the union of the Manuripi with the Tahuamanu river, Madre de Dios which It is born in Peru with the name of the Manu river, it borders with the north of the department of La Paz, Buyumanu, Karamanu, the Mapiri or Manu, Manurime, Genechiquia, Chipamanu borders with Brazil and the Abuná. The Madera River is not navigable because its waters fall in repeated places called cachuelas. The cachuelas begin in Guayaramerín on the Mamoré River and continue to Porto Velho.

Climate

The department of Pando has an average temperature of 26.6 degrees. The high rainfall, 1800 mm annual average, favors the growth of large forests.

Wildlife

The river crab

In the department it is very rich, the following stand out: the anta or tapir; jaguar or American tiger; cougar or American lion; taitetú or American boar; various species of deer; capihuara; tamandua or anteater; badger; agouti or coati; Wildcat; opossum; iguana; various species of apes; river lizards: alligator; snakes and boa constrictors such as the sicuri or anaconda that can measure up to 12 meters long; land and aquatic turtles; hundreds of varieties of birds; Pando's rivers are home to an ichthyological fauna of great variety. Alligators, lizards, river wolves (a variety of otter) inhabit the rivers; In the mighty rivers of the north and northeast of Bolivia, bufeos (freshwater dolphins) are often seen, there is also a variety of turtles, in the beds of warm waters there are crabs whose meat, although optimal, is not used by the locals..

Orography

The entire department is flat. It presents light undulations projected parallel and longitudinally from west to east. The territory of Pando has some intermediate low elevation platforms.

Typical food

Prepared on the basis of cooked chicken, rice and cassava; road locro, prepared on the basis of jerky, chivé, rice and cassava; pork leg; rice bread, prepared with rice flour; rice pie, prepared with rice flour, with various fillings.

Departmental Symbols

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is represented by a body that is divided into three quarters, at the top of which is a large star, surrounded by a beam that symbolically represents Cobija, the capital. The body is in the lower part surrounded by two branches: one of cane and the other of coffee, which in turn represent two renewable natural resources of the Amazon. At the bottom, where the two branches intersect, three words are engraved on red tape: Work - Industry - Progress.

At the top, five stars, symbolizing the five provinces.

In the central part, the shield is divided into two pavilions: on the left side, the chestnut tree, with a background of the Amazon jungle; and, on the right side, rubber trees, another of the region's resources.

In the lower part, on the one hand the water wealth of the region, and an antenna that, next to the river, represents the integration of Pando. The house is for the generosity of the soul of the Pandino people.

Departmental flag

Flag of the Pando department.

It is made up of two horizontal stripes. The upper stripe is white, representing peace and integrity, and the lower stripe is green, representing the Bolivian Amazon.