Boyacá faces demographic crisis with 13 smallest municipalities

A report by Jacinto Pineda Jiménez of the Escuela Superior de Administración Pública (ESAP), based on DANE projections, reveals that the department of Boyacá contains 13 of Colombia’s 22 municipalities with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants.

The affected municipalities include Sativasur, La Victoria, Busbanzá, Tununguá, Berbeo, San Eduardo, Panqueba, Almeida, Betéitiva, Guacamayas, Cuítiva, Iza, and Tutazá. This demographic shift is driven by declining birth rates, an aging population, and youth migration.

These trends present significant budgetary and social challenges. Lower populations result in reduced resources from the General Participation System (SGP). Additionally, Boyacá accounts for 21 of the 50 municipalities in Colombia with the highest aging rates. Projections suggest Boyacá will see a growth of only 30,600 inhabitants by 2050, with nearly all its localities showing a decreasing population trend.