Puerto Wilches facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Puerto Wilches
Municipality and town
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Puerto Wilches in the Santander Department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Santander Department
Area
• Total	1,588 km2 (613 sq mi)
Population  (Census 2018)
• Total	31,698
• Density	19.961/km2 (51.699/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Wilchenses
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	www.puertowilches-santander.gov.co

Puerto Wilches is a town and a type of local government area called a municipality. It's located in the northeastern part of Colombia, in a region known as the Santander Department.

A Look at Puerto Wilches' Past

Puerto Wilches was first built as a river port. It was very important for a railway that connected the Santander region and the city of Bucaramanga. This railway and port helped link the area to the rest of the world. Goods could travel by train to Puerto Wilches, then by boat on the Magdalena River, and finally to the Caribbean port city of Barranquilla.

Building the Railway

A British company called the Great Northern Railway of Colombia Company Ltd. started building the railway. They began in London in April 1907. The government of Rafael Reyes allowed them to raise money to build the first 54 kilometers (about 33 miles) of the railway. This part of the line would run between Puerto Wilches and Bucaramanga.

Challenges and Changes

At first, the railway project was going well. However, some political groups in Colombia did not like how the government was helping to pay for the railway. They spread rumors in Europe that the government had not really approved the money. This made it hard for the company to get more funds. The value of the money they could raise dropped a lot.

Because of these problems, the company did not get enough money to finish the railway. After many disagreements with Colombian officials, the company closed down. The Colombian government then took over the project in April 1918. A large part of the railway was not finished until 1926. Once it reached 95 kilometers (about 59 miles), trade in the nearby areas grew a lot.

From Trains to Roads

Having the railway and being a river port helped Puerto Wilches grow as a town. But over time, people started using roads more than railways for transportation. This made the port less important for the economy. In more recent years, the oil industry in the region has become very important, bringing new life to the local economy.

Weather in Puerto Wilches

Puerto Wilches has a warm climate throughout the year. The temperature stays quite steady, and it gets a lot of rain.

See also

In Spanish: Puerto Wilches para niños