Leticia has a population of 33,503 located on the left bank of the Amazon River at the point where the borders of Colombia, Brazil and Peru meet in an area called Tres Fronteras.

Together with the Peruvian city of Santa Rosa de Yavari, the entire urban area has more than 120,000 residents spread along the Amazon River Early Leticia history mentions a Portuguese explorer who, after becoming lost in the Amazon, died of starvation at the present site of Leticia with the rest of his crew.

Small border incidents between Peru and Colombia occurred in 1911, and in 1922 the two governments of those countries reached a controversial agreement awarding the Leticia area to Colombia in exchange for recognizing Peru's rights to the zone south of the Putumayo River, which was also claimed by Ecuador.

The Colombia-Peru War began in September 1932 when two hundred Peruvians, followed later by military troops, occupied public buildings in Leticia, which was not garrisoned.

Though the League of Nations' intervention had officially ended the war, the Colombian government remained wary of the Peruvians, and decided to populate Leticia with people from Bogotá in order to ensure the town's loyalty to Colombia.

Leticia features a tropical rainforest climate with minimal difference in average high and low temperatures throughout the course of the year.

An intensive survey effort in primary rainforest and flooded forest some 10 km (6 miles) north of Leticia revealed 96 frog species (with two more found shortly afterwards).

The prevailing trend is for people to move from the village of their birth in far-lying rural communities into the city to make a "better" living.

Common staples in Leticia include river fish, domestic (and occasionally wild) meat, rice, locally-grown vegetables and potatoes.

A typical Sunday meal might comprise grilled meats, cooked in makeshift charcoal grillers, served with rice and plantains.