Mitú facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mitú
City and municipality
Aerial view of Mitú
Flag Seal
Location of the town and municipality of Mitú in the Department of Vaupés.
Mitú Location in Colombia
Country	Colombia
Region	Amazonía
Department	Vaupés
Founded	1936
Area
• Total	16.422 km2 (6.341 sq mi)
Elevation	183 m (600 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	29,850
• Density	1,817.7/km2 (4,707.8/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Mituense
Time zone	UTC-5
Area code(s)	57 + 8
Climate	Af
Website	Official website: https://web.archive.org/web/20070719164429/http://www.mitu-vaupes.gov.co/sitio.shtml

Mitú (pronounced mi-TOO) is a small but important town in Colombia. It is the capital of the Vaupés department. You can find it in the southeastern part of the country, deep within the Amazon Basin. Mitú sits right next to the Vaupés River, about 180 meters (590 feet) above sea level. It was founded in 1936 and is the main center for services like transport and trade in the Vaupés region.

The Vaupés River is super important for connecting Mitú to other small communities along its banks. However, there are no roads that connect Mitú to the rest of Colombia. This means you can only get there by airplane or by river. Because of this, Mitú is known as the most isolated capital city in Colombia.

History of Mitú: How the Town Grew

The story of Mitú's founding is linked to a competition between Brazilians and Colombians. They were both trying to get rubber from trees in the Guainía and Apaporis river areas. By 1903, there was a lot of activity around the Vaupés river. Local Indigenous people, like the Tucano and Carijona groups, were forced to work in the rubber trade.

Founding and Early Days

Mitú began as a small hamlet in October 1936. It was established by Miguel Cuervo Araoz. The town became a meeting place for different Indigenous communities. It was also a center for collecting rubber, trading animal furs, and for missionaries. The main activity was trading rubber for things like food, clothes, and fuel.

Becoming a Capital City

After being a township for some time, Mitú became the capital of the Vaupés Commissary in 1963. A commissary was a type of administrative area in Colombia. In 1974, Mitú was made a municipality. Then, in 1991, it became the capital of the newly formed department of Vaupés.

The Siege of Mitú in 1998

In November 1998, a large group of about 1,500 FARC members tried to take over the town. They attacked the 120 National Police members and one Colombian National Army battalion defending Mitú. The Colombian Air Force and Army Aviation helped the ground forces with air support.

The FARC members took control of the airport and blew up a communications tower. Mitú was partly damaged during the fighting. Many police officers and soldiers were affected, along with some civilians. As they left, the FARC took about 40 to 45 members of the Colombian Military as hostages.

Hostage Rescue Operation

Years later, on June 13, two of the hostages taken in Mitú in 1998 were freed. These were National Police Colonel Luis Mendieta and National Police Colonel Enrique Murillo. They were rescued by the Colombian army in an operation called Operation Chameleon. This rescue happened in Calamar, Guaviare. The very next day, two more police officers were found and freed.

Climate in Mitú

Mitú has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it is hot, humid, and wet all year round. The weather is very consistent, with high temperatures and a lot of rain throughout the months.

See also

In Spanish: Mitú para niños