Riohacha
Encyclopedia : R : RI : RIO : Riohacha
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| City flag | City Coat of arms |
| City nickname: None | |
 Location in the La Guajira Department | |
| Area - Total | 00,000 km² |
| Population - Total (2004) - Density | 107.542 aprox. |
| Time zone | UTC–5 |
| Location | |
| Mayor | Miller Antonio Choles López |
| [Government of Riohacha official website] | |
Riohacha or Rio Hacha (Ax River), named after the nearby river that flows into the Caribbean Sea, is the capital city of the department of Guajira in Colombia's Caribbean region. Founded by Nicolas de Federman in 1535, it is mentioned several times in the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, and once in the novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold, both written by Gabriel García Márquez. The city is one of Colombia's most important maritime commercial ports as well as a multicultural center for the Department. The area is mostly desertic and inhabited by amerindians; the Wayuu culture that pertains to the Arawak family is predominant. During the colonial times Riohacha became a very important port due to findings of vast amounts of pearls.
History
The territory of what is present day Riohacha was inhabited by amerindians from the Wayuu Culture, part of the Arawak family. The territory was discovered by Spanish sailor Alonso de Ojeda in 1498, though he never landed to explore the territory. In a short time, however, Juan de la Cosa, another Spanish explorer, landed on what is today called Cabo de la Vela, (Cape of the Candle). In 1535, a German explorer named Nicholas Federmann founded a city with the name Nuestra Señora Santa Maria de los Remedios del Cabo de la Vela (Our Lady Saint Mary of the remedies of the Cape of the Candle) in the same place Juan de la Cosa landed.The Spanish discovered a vast amount of pearls in the city's area, which made the city a constant target for pirates. After the city was destroyed by a pirate raid, the city government relocated the city to the revere of the Rancheria River, in order to confuse the pirates, and hopefully give the city time to rebuild before the next attack. The new city, named Nuestra Señora de los Remedios del Río de la Hacha (Our Lady of the Remedies of the Ax River) expanded peacefully for a short time in it's new location, but pirate attacks soon resumed. The next major attack, led by famous English Pirate Francis Drake, took place in 1596, when Drake pillaged the city searching for gold and pearls.
During it's period of independence from Spain, the port of Riohacha served many vessels fighting the Spanish for Colombian and Venezuelan independence. Many Riohachans also served in the revolutionary navy, most notably Admiral Jose Prudencio Padilla, who would come to be considered a hero in the revolutions of Colombia and Venezuela
In the 18th Century, Riohacha was incorporated to the Viceroyalty of New Granada as part of the province of Santa Marta.
In 1954, Riohacha City acquired a municipality status, and in 1964 Riohacha was declared capital of the new La Guajira Department.
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