Yopal

Yopal, town and capital of Casanare departamento, eastern Colombia. The original settlement (caserío) of Yopal was founded in 1935 by Pedro Pablo González, and it has been the seat of Casanare intendency (now departamento) since the creation of Casanare in 1974. Located at the western edge of the Llanos (plains), Yopal has road connections to Sagamosa in the Cordillera Oriental. The local economy has long depended on cattle raising and agriculture; the principal crops are rice, corn (maize), coffee, sugarcane, beans, plantains, and citrus fruits. The population of Yopal has increased markedly since the mid-1990s, when it became a regional centre for petroleum production; however, the town and its hinterland have suffered from increasing levels of violent crime, cocaine trafficking, and attacks by guerrillas and paramilitary groups. Pop. (2007 est.) 97,865.