Puerto Alfonso López (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto ˈlopes]) is a small town and municipality in the Orinoquía Region (Llanos region) of Meta Department, Colombia. It is known as Puerto López and is a port on the Meta river. The town is located approximately 100 kilometers east of the town of Villavicencio. Its main industries are agriculture and cattle.

Puerto López, Meta
Municipality and town
Flag of Puerto López, Meta
Official seal of Puerto López, Meta
Location of the municipality and town of Puerto López, Meta in the Meta Department of Colombia.
Location of the municipality and town of Puerto López, Meta in the Meta Department of Colombia.
Coordinates: 4°05′14″N 72°57′38″W / 4.08722°N 72.96056°W / 4.08722; -72.96056
Country Colombia
DepartmentMeta Department
FoundedMay 1, 1935
Government
 • MayorVictor Manuel Bravo Rodriguez
Area
 • Total
6,740 km2 (2,602.33 sq mi)
Elevation
365 m (1,198 ft)
Population
 (2015)
 • Total
33,440
Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
ClimateAm
The Llanos plains in the outskirts of Puerto Lopez

Puerto Lopez has been said to be the "belly button",[1] or geographical center, of Colombia. Nearby is the Obelisco del Alto de Menegua, a 30 meter tall[1] obelisk that marks the intersection of 4 degrees north latitude and 72 degrees west longitude.[2]

History

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The town was established on 1 May 1935. It was centered on the river port and pre-existing village. On 3 May 1937, the Intendencia for Meta Department ordered the creation of the Yacuana District (corregimiento) whose capital is Puerto Alfonso Lopez. The municipality was established on 3 July 1955, in accordance with National Decree No. 2543 of 1945.

Climate

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Climate data for Puerto López (Margaritas Las Hda), elevation 150 m (490 ft), (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 34.3
(93.7)
34.8
(94.6)
34.4
(93.9)
32.5
(90.5)
31.2
(88.2)
30.1
(86.2)
30.2
(86.4)
30.8
(87.4)
31.8
(89.2)
32.0
(89.6)
32.1
(89.8)
32.8
(91.0)
32.2
(90.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27.8
(82.0)
28.0
(82.4)
27.9
(82.2)
26.9
(80.4)
26.3
(79.3)
25.5
(77.9)
25.4
(77.7)
25.7
(78.3)
26.3
(79.3)
26.5
(79.7)
26.6
(79.9)
26.9
(80.4)
26.6
(79.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 21.7
(71.1)
22.1
(71.8)
22.2
(72.0)
22.6
(72.7)
22.2
(72.0)
22.0
(71.6)
21.8
(71.2)
22.0
(71.6)
22.2
(72.0)
22.4
(72.3)
22.5
(72.5)
21.9
(71.4)
22.1
(71.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 13.8
(0.54)
37.9
(1.49)
92.4
(3.64)
230.8
(9.09)
313.9
(12.36)
330.4
(13.01)
291.9
(11.49)
257.2
(10.13)
230.2
(9.06)
232.7
(9.16)
140.7
(5.54)
25.6
(1.01)
2,197.7
(86.52)
Average precipitation days 2 4 8 14 19 20 18 17 14 13 10 3 136
Average relative humidity (%) 72 71 72 78 82 85 86 85 83 82 82 78 80
Mean monthly sunshine hours 226.3 200.4 164.3 132.0 130.2 138.0 133.3 142.6 165.0 176.7 177.0 213.9 1,999.7
Mean daily sunshine hours 7.3 7.1 5.3 4.4 4.2 4.6 4.3 4.6 5.5 5.7 5.9 6.9 5.5
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Porup, Jens; Kohn, Michael (2010). Lonely Planet Colombia (Country Guide). Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-74104-827-8.
  2. ^ "Emisión: "4-72, La Red Postal de Colombia"" (in Spanish). Amigos de la Filatelia Temática en Colombia (Friends of Thematic Philately in Colombia). 29 May 2008.
  3. ^ "Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010" (in Spanish). Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
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