Beni Department

Beni, often called El Beni, is a large area in the northeastern part of Bolivia. It is the second biggest department in the country, after Santa Cruz, and covers a huge space of 213,564 square kilometers. Beni was officially created on November 18, 1842, when General José Ballivián was in charge of the country. The main city of Beni is Trinidad, which serves as its capital. This region is part of the lowland areas of Bolivia and has important natural resources and wildlife.

Etymology

The name of the Beni department was chosen by President José Ballivián to honor the Beni River. The name "Beni" comes from the Movima word ben’i, which means “grasslands.” Another old writing by Friar Nicolás Armentia says the word Beni might also mean “wind” in the Tacanan languages.

Population

Beni has 488,260 people, according to the 2024 census, making it the second least-populated department in Bolivia after Pando. Even though Beni has many natural resources, many people there live in poverty. This is partly because, for many years, people from Europe treated the local people unfairly.

People in Beni mainly work in farming, cutting down trees, and raising cattle. In the past, some hidden farms were used for making illegal medicines. The land in Beni is flat and has large dirt mounds built a long time ago by ancient people. These mounds help people live there and grow trees.

People from Spain first came to Beni a long time ago to teach the local people about their religion. Today, many towns in Beni still have important churches. Cattle ranching is very important to the culture there, and many people work as cowboys, called "vaqueros". Other jobs include cutting trees, fishing, hunting, farming, and eco-tourism.

People in Beni mainly eat rice, bananas, beef, and fish. Most people there have mixed backgrounds, coming from both local people and people from Santa Cruz.

History

Beni was an important place long ago, home to a clever group of people who built thousands of hills and many channels to help them live. They grew useful plants like tobacco, peanuts, cotton, cassava, vanilla, and sweet potatoes.

Later, when people from Spain arrived, they thought they might find a legendary city of gold here, but they didn't. In the 1800s and early 1900s, Beni became a key place for rubber because of its many rubber trees. Many people, including local workers, came to harvest the rubber. But after World War II, rubber farming moved to other parts of the world, and today the land is mostly used for cattle ranches.

Government

The leader of Beni Department is called the governor. People in Beni choose their governor in elections. Before 2010, the president of Bolivia chose the leader, called the prefect. In 2011, Haysen Ribera Leigue became the temporary governor. Ernesto Suárez Sattori was elected in 2010 but could not stay in office because of some problems with money. Carmelo Lens was then elected in a special election in 2013. In 2021, Alejandro Unzueta became the governor.

Each department in Bolivia, including Beni, has its own elected group called the Departmental Legislative Assembly. Beni’s Assembly has twenty-eight members. The biggest group is Beni First with eleven members. The Movement towards Socialism has ten members, and the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement has three. Some members were chosen by indigenous people and farmers.

Beni also sends nine members to the Chamber of Deputies and four members to the Chamber of Senators in Bolivia’s National Congress.

Geography

Beni has a tropical and humid climate, often with warm or hot weather. It shares borders with Brazil to the northeast and with the Bolivian departments of Santa Cruz, La Paz, Pando, and Cochabamba.

The land in Beni is mostly covered by rainforest in the north and east, and by pampa grasslands, especially in the Moxos Plain to the south. Many rivers flow through Beni, all feeding into the Amazon. Important rivers include the Iténez (also called Guaporé), Mamoré, and Madre de Dios, among others. The area also features numerous lakes such as Laguna Suárez and Aquiles Lake.

Flora and fauna

Beni’s rivers are home to over 400 kinds of fish. In Trinidad, the Museo Ictícola showcases many of these fish species. Common fish in the area include pacú, surubí, and a type of piranha known as palometa. Some animals, like alligators, are also found here and are sometimes used for their leather.

Beni also produces a lot of lumber, and the government works with groups to make sure logging is done responsibly.

Climate

Beni experiences hot and humid weather most of the year, with yearly rainfall ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 mm (39 to 157 inches). It is one of Bolivia’s wettest areas, even more so than the famous Pantanal. During the winter months in June and July, temperatures can fall quickly due to cool winds from the south.

Agriculture and livestock

Beni is a very important place for farming in Bolivia. Because it has good weather and rich soil, it is the second biggest farming area in the country after Santa Cruz. Farmers grow many things like corn, yucca, sunflowers, rice, and tropical fruits such as cacao (which makes chocolate), Brazil nuts, soybeans, bananas, and many other fruits. They also grow a lot of coffee.

Beni is also a big place for raising cattle. There are about 2 to 2.5 million cows there. Most of these cows live outside on the grass and eat naturally.

Provinces of Beni

The department of Beni is divided into 8 provinces. These provinces are then split into smaller areas called municipalities, and there are 48 cantons in total.

Demography

According to the 2024 Bolivian census, the Department of Beni has 488,260 people living there.

The department has a small number of people compared to its large size. It covers a vast area of forests, plains, and wetlands, which makes it hard for many people to live there. About 73% of the population lives in towns, with most people in the city of Trinidad. The rest live in rural areas, where Indigenous communities are important.

The population of Beni grew slowly over time. Many people moved to other parts of Bolivia where there are more jobs and better living conditions. The younger generation makes up a large part of the population, especially in rural areas.

Languages

The most common language spoken in Beni Department is Spanish. A table shows how many people speak different languages recognized in the area.

Places of interest

Beni Department in Bolivia has many special places to visit. Some of these places include the Beni Biological Station Biosphere Reserve, which is a protected area for nature lovers. Another is the Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory, where you can learn about local cultures and wildlife. There is also Cachuela Esperanza, a beautiful spot, and the Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Communal Lands, which offers more chances to explore the natural beauty of the region.