# Distracción Municipality, La Guajira Department – Villages

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/distraccion/

Municipality · La Guajira Department 

# Distracción

Distracción is a municipality of Colombia in La Guajira Department. It had an estimated **15,369 people** in 2025 on 232 km² (about 66 per km²). Its main town is Distracción. 21 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 19 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 15,369people (2025)
- 232km²
- 19mapped services
- 220 mtypical elevation

## How many people live in Distracción?

Distracción had an estimated **15,369 people** in 2025 — 1.5% of La Guajira Department, 518th of 1121 municipalities. There are 979 women for every 1,000 men (below the La Guajira Department figure of 1,045). Spread over 232 km², that is about **66 people per km²**, 416th of 1121 municipalities.

27.5% of people are children under 15 and 7.1% are 65 or older; the median age is about 27 years (it is 25 across La Guajira Department). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 53 children and older people.

0–4 ****1,369**

5–9 ****1,427**

10–14 ****1,424**

15–19 ****1,417**

20–24 ****1,408**

25–29 ****1,373**

30–34 ****1,278**

35–39 ****1,135**

40–44 ****951**

45–49 ****773**

50–54 ****640**

55–59 ****561**

60–64 ****512**

65–69 ****396**

70–74 ****291**

75–79 ****194**

80–84 ****106**

85–89 ****57**

90–94 ****30**

95+ ****19**

Source: [Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) via OCHA HDX, population 2025 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-col).

## Where is Distracción?

Distracción lies in [La Guajira Department](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/), [Colombia](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/). It borders 3 other municipalities: [Fonseca](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/fonseca/), [Riohacha](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/riohacha/) and [San Juan del Cesar](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/san-juan-del-cesar/). By area it is the 641st largest of 1,122 municipalities in Colombia. It covers 1.1% of [La Guajira Department](https://wherepedia.org/colombia/la-guajira/). The centre of Distracción is about 712 km in a straight line from Bogotá, the capital. It is about 71 km from Riohacha, the main town of La Guajira Department. The centre point is at 10.9110° N, 72.9458° W.

Source: [Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-col).

## Things to see in and around Distracción

### Nearby, outside Distracción

- La Virgencita · memorial, San Juan del Cesar17 km

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Distracción

- Time zoneUTC−5, no daylight saving · America/Bogota
- CurrencyPeso (COP)
- Country calling code+57
- LanguagesSpanish
- Plug typesType A, B · 110 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format6 digits (######)

### Nearest airports

- Alfonso López Pumarejo Airport (VUP) · Valledupar62 km
- Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH) · Riohacha68 km

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.8 hours, sunrise around 05:29) and shortest in Dec (about 11.5 hours, sunrise around 06:02, sunset around 17:31).

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-02](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Villages and localities in Distracción

Open gazetteers list **21 villages, towns and localities** in Distracción. The largest with a recorded population: Distracción (11,934). Settlements here lie between about 186 m and 928 m above sea level (median 220 m).

- Buenavista
- Canaán
- Cascajito
- Cañahuate
- Chorrera
- Distracción
- Dos Caminos
- El Chorro
- El Paraíso
- La Duda
- La Esperanza
- La Laguna
- La Loma
- La Sabrosita
- Las Mercedes
- Los Hornitos
- Pulgar
- Ritapinto
- San Luis
- Sopresa
- Zumbador

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

## Landscape and landmarks of Distracción

Named natural and historic features inside Distracción, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

9 rivers and streams.

- Acequia de Nica
- Arroyo Cuasimito
- Arroyo El Chorro
- Arroyo El Corral
- Arroyo Guanábano
- Arroyo La Montaña
- Arroyo La Quebradita
- Arroyo Saladillo
- Arroyo de Los Camiones

### Hills and mountains

2 mountains; 1 hill.

- Cuchilla El Chorro · 1,161 m
- Cuchilla San Luis · 642 m
- Loma Pozo de Barro · 386 m

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Distracción and the best time to visit

In Distracción, the warmest month is Aug (average 26 °C) and the coolest is Jan (23 °C). About 672 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Oct (140 mm) and the driest Jan (3 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **November to September**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 23 3 

Feb 24 4 

Mar 24 13 

Apr 25 34 

May 25 97 

Jun 25 64 

Jul 26 44 

Aug 26 64 

Sep 25 93 

Oct 24 140 

Nov 24 85 

Dec 23 31 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from Distracción

Need Nearest mapped Distance 

Hospital Hospital Santa Rita de Cassia · Distracción 6.9 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.89598&mlon=-72.88478#map=17/10.89598/-72.88478) 

Bank Banco W · Fonseca 11 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.88928&mlon=-72.85218#map=17/10.88928/-72.85218) 

Hotel Hotel Distracción Guajira · Distracción 3.3 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.91680&mlon=-72.91597#map=17/10.91680/-72.91597) 

School Centro Educativo Cristiano Enseñanza y Vida Sas · Distracción 1.6 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.92505&mlon=-72.94444#map=17/10.92505/-72.94444) 

College Corporación Técnica Santo Tomás · Distracción 6.6 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.95400&mlon=-72.98767#map=17/10.95400/-72.98767) 

Police station Policía Nacional · El Molino 28 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.65682&mlon=-72.93114#map=17/10.65682/-72.93114) 

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Straight-line distance from the centre of the division, within 40 km.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Distracción

Places mapped inside Distracción in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.

- Hospitals1
- Hotels1
- Schools16
- Colleges and universities1

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Other municipalities in La Guajira Department

- Albania
- Barrancas
- Dibulla
- El Molino
- Fonseca
- Hatonuevo
- La Jagua del Pilar
- Maicao
- Manaure
- Riohacha
- San Juan del Cesar
- Uribia
- Urumita
- Villanueva

## Quick answers

- Where is Distracción?In La Guajira Department, Colombia
- What is the population of Distracción?15,369 (2025 estimate)
- What is the median age in Distracción?About 27 years (2025 estimate)
- What is the population density of Distracción?About 66 people per km²
- What borders Distracción?Fonseca, Riohacha and San Juan del Cesar
- What is there to see in Distracción?La Virgencita
- What time zone is Distracción in?UTC−5
- What currency is used in Distracción?Peso (COP)
- What language is spoken in Distracción?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Distracción?21 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Distracción?Settlements lie between 186 m and 928 m
- What is the highest point in Distracción?Cuchilla El Chorro (1,161 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Distracción?November to September
- Where is the nearest hospital to Distracción?Hospital Santa Rita de Cassia, about 6.9 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to Distracción?Banco W, about 11 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in Distracción?1 mapped
- What is the P-code of Distracción?CO44098 (OCHA common operational dataset)