Puerto Asís facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Puerto Asís
Municipality and city
Aerial view of Puerto Asis
Flag Seal
Location of the city of Puerto Asís in the Putumayo Department.
Country	Colombia
Department	Putumayo Department
Area
• Municipality and city	2,819 km2 (1,088 sq mi)
• Urban	5.63 km2 (2.17 sq mi)
Elevation	250 m (820 ft)
Population  (2020 est.)
• Municipality and city	67,211
• Density	23.842/km2 (61.751/sq mi)
• Urban	40,549
• Urban density	7,202/km2 (18,654/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5
Website	Government of Puerto Asis official website: http://www.puertoasis.gov.co/

A bridge in Puerto Asís

Puerto Asís is a lively city and municipality in Putumayo Department, Colombia. It sits right on the western side of the Putumayo River. This city is about 75 kilometers (47 miles) south of Mocoa and is very close to the border with Ecuador. With over 67,000 people, Puerto Asís is the biggest city in the Putumayo Department.

History of Puerto Asís

Puerto Asís was started on May 3, 1912. It was founded by missionaries called Capuchins. Two important leaders were Father Estanislao de las Cortes and Brother Hidelfonso de Tulcán. The city was named after Saint Francis's hometown, Assisi.

The Colombian government wanted to show that these lands belonged to Colombia. So, they started programs in the area. These programs helped the town grow bigger and stronger.

Early Growth of the Town

By April 1914, the small village had more than 200 people living there. This number did not include children, women, or indigenous people. The population kept growing steadily. The missionaries opened a special school. This school was a boarding school for local indigenous children and the children of the new settlers. Later that same year, a group called The Franciscan Sisters took over running the school.

A regatta on the Putumayo River

Aerial view of Puerto Asís

Culture and Celebrations

Puerto Asís is known for its fun celebrations and traditions. The city has a special Carnival every year in January.

Carnival Festivities

The Carnival starts on January 3 with a unique event. It's called a Tyre Regatta and takes place on the Putumayo River. People float down the river on tires, which sounds like a lot of fun! This event has become a big attraction for tourists.

Each day of the Carnival has a different color theme.

• January 4 is a day for many colors.
• January 5 is the black day.
• January 6 is the white day.
• The Carnival ends on January 7 with the crowning of the Carnival queen.

Other Important Dates

The town also celebrates its founding day every year on May 3. This is a special day to remember when the city was first established.

Puerto Asís also has a fair that is known as "ranch day." This fair includes exciting activities like horseback riding. There are also exhibitions where people can see different kinds of farm animals.

Climate in Puerto Asís

Puerto Asís has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it is warm all year round. It also gets a lot of rain throughout the year. The rainfall is usually heavy or very heavy.

See also

In Spanish: Puerto Asís para niños