Guajira Peninsula

According to Oliver, the term Guajiro did not appear on Spanish records until the year 1626, in a document by a friar named Pedro Simón.

The trade winds cause a resurgence of the deep littoral waters and make the sea more rich in living species on the western side of the peninsula.

In the northern area, a small range of mountains known as the Macuira reaches 900 m above sea level; they trap some of the trade winds and mist forms.

The peninsula is inhabited mainly by members of the native tribe of the Wayuu, who use the plains to raise cattle, sheep, goats and horses.

A popular ecotourism destination in the area is Cabo de la Vela, a headland and village on the peninsula on the Colombia side.

It was elevated by Pope Pius X on 17 January 1905, into a vicariate Apostolic, dependent on the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs.

"[5] The Capuchins established three major orphanages, where they educated Wayuu children in Catholicism, Spanish, and European culture.