Abstract

ARDILA LUNA, Diana Carolina. The Meta River and Projects for the Integration of the Colombian Eastern Plains, from Colonial Times to the 21^st Century. Anu.hist.reg.front. [online]. 2016, vol.21, n.2, pp.265-283. ISSN 0122-2066.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revanua.v21n2-2016011.

The Meta River is full of hopes and dreams that have been built from the early conquerors and missionaries who plied its waters to the large infrastructure projects of the 21^st century. From the Colonial times, the Plains region, through which the Meta River runs, was established as a boundary because of hot weather, the "wild" dwellers, as well as the Andes range as a geographical barrier that pulled away from the administrative center; however, the river was always thought and imagined as an integrating axis to include a vast territory into civilization, progress and development. This article aims to analyze different views and projects for the integration of Colombia' s Eastern Plains, whose axis is the Meta River, and whose objective was to change the border situation of the region. Although none of the projects fully achieved its goal, their execution makes evident that the region has always been planned and operated from the outside; and without considering its peculiarities or those of its inhabitants; and that situation has generated profound changes in the landscape.

Keywords : Colombia; Orinoquia; Llanos Orientales; Border.

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