UTCH Virtual

Chocó in English

DEPARTMENT OF CHOCÓ

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Chocó department is situated in western Colombia, bounded northwest by Panama, northeast by the Atrato river, and west by the Pacific Ocean. Almost the entire area, of 46,530 square  kilometers,  is covered with dense tropical rain forest, and the average annual rainfall of more than 420 inches probably exceeds that of any other equatorial area on Earth.

The Chocó is one of the richest biodiversity hot spots in the world. Its special conditions make it a natural deposit for gold and platinum, brought from the mountain ranges by the many rivers that cross it.

Its multicultural wealth is also significant due to the presence of indigenous populations and a large group of Afro descendant communities who make up 90% of the population.