Guajira Peninsula (, also spelled
Goajira, mainly in
colonial period texts), is a
peninsula in northern
Colombia and northwestern
Venezuela in the Caribbean. It is the northernmost peninsula in South America and has an area of extending from the
Manaure Bay (Colombia) to the
Calabozo Ensenada in the
Gulf of Venezuela (Venezuela), and from the Caribbean to the
Serranía del Perijá mountains range. It was the subject of a dispute between Venezuela and Colombia in 1891, and on arbitration was awarded to the latter and joined to its
Magdalena Department. Nowadays, most of the territory is part of Colombia, making it part of
La Guajira Department, while the remaining strip pertains to the Venezuelan
Zulia State. The northernmost part of the peninsula is called
Punta Gallinas (12° 28´ N) and is also considered the northernmost part of mainland South America.