Casanare Department, Administrative department in eastern Colombia

Casanare Department is an administrative division in eastern Colombia that runs from the Andes foothills down to the wide plains of the Orinoco basin. The landscape shifts between gentle hills in the west and flat grasslands in the east, crossed by rivers and wetlands.

The area was a province in the 17th century and gained department status in 1991. This change followed Colombia's new constitution, which gave eastern regions more self-government.

The name derives from an indigenous language and means „land of water

Nineteen municipalities are connected through a road network, with Yopal serving as the regional center. El Alcaraván Airport offers connections to other parts of Colombia.

The region supplies one fifth of Colombia's petroleum, which travels through pipelines to the Caribbean coast. This infrastructure shapes the local economy and changed life in rural communities.

• Location: Colombia
• Inception: 1991
• Capital city: Yopal
• Elevation above the sea: 154 m
• Reference: CAS
• Shares border with: Arauca Department, Meta Department, Vichada Department, Boyacá Department, Cundinamarca Department
• Website: http://casanare.gov.co
• GPS coordinates: 5.43333,-71.50000
• Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:33