Arauca: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Arauca: DANE estimates the value added produced in Arauca at COP 2.86 trillion in 2024 (provisional, current prices), 19th smallest of 74 Colombian cities on this site, 0.18% of the national total of COP 1550.97 trillion.
- Health in Arauca: ADRES's affiliate register showed 114,635 people actively affiliated to the health system in Arauca in October 2026 (24,709 contributory and 89,926 subsidised), equal to 125.6% of DANE's projected population, 5th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site (the register counts people by municipality of affiliation, which can differ from where they live).
- Education in Arauca: The Ministry of Education counted 19,808 children aged 5 to 16 in Arauca in 2024, of whom 96.9% were enrolled in school (net coverage), 25th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the rate was 96.7% in 2019.
- Poverty and living standards in Arauca: DANE's census-based measure put the multidimensional poverty rate in Arauca at 38.6% in 2018, 12th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; across all Colombian municipalities, weighted by population, the rate was 26.1%.
- Government budget and revenue in Arauca: The Arauca municipal government reported total revenue of COP 232.4 billion for 2025 to the Comptroller General's CUIPO system, 8th smallest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; that was up 23.1% on 2024 (COP 188.9 billion) and up 35.3% on 2023.
What is the population of Arauca?
The municipality of Arauca, in Arauca department, had a projected 91,253 residents in 2026 according to DANE, the national statistics office, the smallest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the projection, based on the 2018 census, put it at 85,590 in 2018.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow fast is Arauca growing?
Between 2018 and 2026 the projected population of Arauca changed by +6.6%, 18th slowest growth of 74 Colombian cities on this site; Colombia as a whole grew 10.7%.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow many people in Arauca live in the countryside?
DANE projects that 85.7% of Arauca's residents in 2026, 78,169 people, live in the urban centre (cabecera municipal) and 13,084 in small settlements and dispersed rural areas, 30th least urban of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyWhat will the population of Arauca be in 2035?
DANE projects the population of Arauca to reach 91,216 in 2035 and 88,947 in 2042, down 2.5% on 2026 (Colombia, 2026 to 2042: up 4.9%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyIs the population of Arauca growing?
In the year to mid-2026 the projected population of Arauca changed by +0.26%, from 91,017 to 91,253.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyWho runs Arauca?
In Colombia, cities and towns are run by municipalities and districts: Mayor (alcalde) and municipal council (concejo) directly elected for four years. Local services, planning, schools and health within national rules.
How local power works in Colombia
Cities of a similar size in Colombia
- Villa del Rosario 127,234
- Cajicá 126,436
- Apartadó 125,881
- Funza 125,880
- Cereté 123,157
- Ipiales 122,747
- Sahagún 121,174
- Lorica 121,047
- Yumbo 115,667
- Sabanalarga 106,209
- Los Patios 104,819
- Girardot 104,326
Up a level: all cities in Colombia · Colombia · government and power
Sources
- Administradora de los Recursos del Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud (ADRES): Base de Datos Única de Afiliados (BDUA), contributory regime: affiliates by municipality, October 2026 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as bdua-contributivo.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8a3f30af6e50…)
- Administradora de los Recursos del Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud (ADRES): Base de Datos Única de Afiliados (BDUA), subsidised regime: affiliates by municipality, October 2026 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as bdua-subsidiado.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 04b3a3bd7839…)
- Contraloría General de la República: OVCF - CUIPO - Ejecución de ingresos: year-end cumulative revenue collected by each municipal government, 2023-2025 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as cuipo.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7255e8150122…)
- Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional): HOMICIDIO: victims of homicide by municipality, year and sex, 2015-2025 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as homicidio.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7d12dcde8b9b…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Medida de pobreza multidimensional municipal de fuente censal 2018: municipal incidence (urban and rural) and household deprivations by indicator, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3ac3a60498a…)
- Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación): MEN estadísticas en educación en preescolar, básica y media por municipio, 2011-2024: net and gross coverage, dropout, approval, failure and repetition rates (datos.gov.co API response for the 74 municipalities; query saved as men-municipal-2011-2024.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8de3c5ca5744…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Proyecciones de población municipal por área, 2018-2042 (based on the 2018 census, updated 30 July 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ea83594ad30…)
- Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES): Resultados únicos Saber 11: average scores by municipality of the school and school type, 2019-4 and 2022-4 sittings (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as saber11.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6b32c41e9323…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Valor agregado por municipio, base 2015, serie 2011-2024 provisional (current prices, thousands of millions of pesos; updated 3 July 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 083bb4b8501d…)
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