LETICIA

capital of Amazonas departamento, southeastern Colombia, on the Amazon River, at the point where the borders of Colombia, Brazil, and Peru meet. Founded as a military outpost and river port by Peruvians in 1867, the jungle village passed into Colombian hands in the 1930s. Despite recent growth and the introduction of tourism and regular air service, Leticia retains the atmosphere of an outpost. Indians, who subsist on hunting and gathering, live around the town; there is almost no industry, and rubber gathering is the principal economic activity. Leticia possesses a customs house and, though not accessible by road, has regular river connections with Iquitos (Peru), Manaus (Brazil), Florencia (Caquet department), and other jungle towns. Pop. (1985) 17,005.