El origen del asentamiento aledano a Tarapaca, se remonta inicialmente a la presencia de los primeros indigenas Huitotos procedentes de la region comprendida entre los rios Cara-parana e Igara-parana, quienes huyendo de la Casa Arana se instalaron de manera permanente en el sector; presencia poblacional que posteriormente fue complementada con la migracion de minorias peruanas y brasileras que transitaban en la zona explotando caucho y en algunas ocasiones, pieles de animales existentes en la region. No obstante, el conflicto limitrofe entre Colombia y Peru seria decisivo a la hora de confi gurar la instauracion y organizacion socio-espacial de los mas importantes asentamientos ubicados sobre las margenes del rio Amazonas y Putumayo, donde la presencia militar seria decisiva a la hora de realizarse dicha organizacion. Justamente ese sera el caso de Tarapaca, principal asentamiento ubicado sobre el rio Cotuhe y Putumayo, el cual se constituyo a partir del confl icto como una de las principales fortifi caciones militares de los peruanos en territorio no nacional, aprovechando su localizacion como punto estrategico para preservar la soberania del estado peruano en zona trifronteriza; episodio que sin lugar a dudas infl uiria considerablemente en el establecimiento de dicho asentamiento, reconstruido y transformado despues por las actividades extractivas que se desarrollarian a partir de la explotacion cauchera. Es por tal razon que el presente documento se centrara en identifi car de manera breve los diversos procesos y actores que facilitaron el poblamiento de la zona, asi como la organizacion socio-espacial inicial que con el paso del tiempo perduraria en Tarapaca, destacando importantes eventos relacionados con las diferentes bonanzas extractivas y el confl icto presentado en el sector. The origin of the establishment in borders of Tarapaca goes back initially to the presence of the fi rst Huitotos natives coming from the region between the rivers Cara-parana and Igara-parana, who fl eeing from the Casa Arana settled permanently in the sector; presence which later was complemented with the migration of Peruvian and Brazilian minorities that journeyed in the zone exploding rubber, and in some occasions, existing animal skins in the region. However, the bordering confl ict between Colombia and Peru would be decisive at the time of socio-spatial creation and organization of the most important establishments located on the margins of the river Amazon and Putumayo, where the military presence would be decisive at the time of the making of this organization. Exactly that will be the case of Tarapaca, main establishment located on the river Cotuhe and Putumayo, which was constituted from the confl ict like one of the main military fortifi cations of the Peruvians in no-national territory, taking advantage of its location like a strategically important point to preserve the sovereignty of the Peruvian state in tri-frontier zone; episode that without doubt would infl uence considerably in the formation of this establishment, reconstructed and transformed later by the extractive activities that would be developed from the rubber operation. It is for such reason that the present document will be centered in identifying briefl y the diverse processes and actors that facilitated the occupation of the zone, as well as the initial socio-spatial organization that with the passage of time would last in Tarapaca, emphasizing important events related to different extractive bonanzas and the confl ict displayed in the sector.