DISCOVER SANTANDER
Santander, the fourth national economy, the motor for economic development in eastern Colombia, is the department with the highest economic growth in the last years (5,1 %). With a population of 2 million inhabitants, 87 towns and a capital city capital (Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area) it is acknowledged and distinguished national and internationally for being a city whose growth has been planned to follow the city, social and environmental special features for the metropolis in the future. It is a land of opportunities for the companies looking forward to expand or initiate their commercial operations in Colombia.
This connected with the other regions of the country, safe, politically stable department is the main door to enter to the domestic market. Its custom-free zones, airports, port, diverse economic sectors, tax benefits and the support of the public sector grant that setting up in Santander will be the right decision and a wise investment of your capital.
You can invest your capital in the global services, oil & gas, health, tourism, construction, industrial agriculture sectors, among others securing your operations through the recruitment of human resources, committed to excellence and educated in national renowned institutions located in Santander: 13 universities with 57 accredited high quality programs, seven of the best schools in the country and an elementary and secondary education coverage rate reaching 56,7 % (the third highest) and close to 57 % for higher education.
The Santander human factor is the key factor for the economic development and growth of this region. It is the basis to make Santander one of the most competitive departments (fourth in the national ranking) and to have the second lowest poverty level (19,6 %) and –among other living standards indicators – it records one of the highest Human Development Index (0.879) in Colombia.
Information of Santander:
| Department | Santander |
| Capital | Bucaramanga |
| Area | 30.537 Km2 |
| Municipalities | 87 towns |
| Borders | At the north with Cesar, on the east with Norte de Santander, on the south with Boyacá and on the west with Antioquia. |
| Weather | It has a variety of temperature zones from warm weather with temperatures higher than 28 degrees Celsius to cold weather with temperatureslower than 4 degrees Celsius. |
| Provinces | Soto Norte, Comunera, García Rovira, Guanentá, Mares, Metropolitana, Vélez, Carare Opón. |
| Santander Population | 2.061.079 inhabitants, according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Santander’s GDP | 23.4 billion dollars (2014) Fourth economy in the country |
| GDP Per Capita | 11.400 dollars (2014) |
| Gini Coefficient | 0,497 (2014) it comes 12 among 24 departments. |
| Human Development Index | 0.879 (2nd in the country) according to the National Human Development report submitted by the UNDP in 2011 |
| Life expectancy | 75 years |
| Official Language | Spanish |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5 % (2014) the third lowest in the country. |
| Annual average economic growth |
5,1 % The highest annual national growth (from 2004 to 2014) |
| Business creation | 16.203 in 2014 |
| Competitiveness Index | According to the Private Council of Competitiveness, Santander placed fourth among 22 departments (2014) |
| Poverty Index | 19, 6 % (2014) according to Dane. Second lowest poverty level among 24 departments. |
| Economically Active Population | 1 million 149 mil (2014) |
Information of Bucaramanga and the Metropolitan Area:
| Town | Bucaramanga and metropolitan area |
| Area | 1.084 Km2 |
| Municipalities | 4 |
| Borders | At the North of Bucaramanga with Rionegro, on the east with Matanza y Charta; at the east of Floridablanca with Tona; at the east of Piedecuesta with Santa Bárbara, on the south with Cepitá, Guaca, Aratoca and Los Santos; at the west of Girón with Betulia, on the south, with Zapatoca, on the north with Lebrija and Sabana de Torres. |
| Weather | Warm |
| Average temperature |
Between 22 – 30 degrees Celsius. |
| Bucaramanga and the metropolitanarea (Girón, Piedecuesta, Floridablanca) Population |
1.122.961, according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Bucaramanga Population |
527.985 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Girón Population |
180.305 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Floridablanca Population |
265.452 According to Dane projections by 2015. |
| Piedecuesta Population |
149.219 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Official Language |
Spanish |
| Unemployment rate in Bucaramanga and the metropolitan area |
8,2 % (2014) |
| Bucaramanga the metropolitan area’s inflation |
4,3% (2014) |
| Poverty level in Bucaramanga and the metropolitan area |
8,4 % leading the lowest poverty level in the country among 13 cities, according to Dane in 2014. |
| Gini Coefficient | 0,428 (2014) best city and metropolitan area on income distribution. |
Distance between Bucaramanga and:
- Bogotá: 411 Km
- Medellín: 404 km
- Santa Marta: 537 km
- Barranquilla: 578 Km
- Cartagena: 651 km
- Frontera Venezuela: 200 km
Flight time between Bucaramanga and:
- Bogotá: 1 hour(non-stop flight))
- Medellín: 1 hour(non-stop flight))
- Santa Marta: 3 hours 25 minutes(connecting flight via Bogotá)
- Barranquilla: 1 hour 20 minutes(non-stop flight))
- Cartagena: 1 hour 15 minutes(non-stop flight))
- Cali: 2 hours 48 minutes(connecting flight via Bogotá)
Santander, the fourth national economy, the motor for economic development in eastern Colombia, is the department with the highest economic growth in the last years (5,1 %). With a population of 2 million inhabitants, 87 towns and a capital city capital (Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area) it is acknowledged and distinguished national and internationally for being a city whose growth has been planned to follow the city, social and environmental special features for the metropolis in the future. It is a land of opportunities for the companies looking forward to expand or initiate their commercial operations in Colombia.
This connected with the other regions of the country, safe, politically stable department is the main door to enter to the domestic market. Its custom-free zones, airports, port, diverse economic sectors, tax benefits and the support of the public sector grant that setting up in Santander will be the right decision and a wise investment of your capital.
You can invest your capital in the global services, oil & gas, health, tourism, construction, industrial agriculture sectors, among others securing your operations through the recruitment of human resources, committed to excellence and educated in national renowned institutions located in Santander: 13 universities with 57 accredited high quality programs, seven of the best schools in the country and an elementary and secondary education coverage rate reaching 56,7 % (the third highest) and close to 57 % for higher education.
The Santander human factor is the key factor for the economic development and growth of this region. It is the basis to make Santander one of the most competitive departments (fourth in the national ranking) and to have the second lowest poverty level (19,6 %) and –among other living standards indicators – it records one of the highest Human Development Index (0.879) in Colombia.
Information of Santander:
| Department | Santander |
| Capital | Bucaramanga |
| Area | 30.537 Km2 |
| Municipalities | 87 towns |
| Borders | At the north with Cesar, on the east with Norte de Santander, on the south with Boyacá and on the west with Antioquia. |
| Weather | It has a variety of temperature zones from warm weather with temperatures higher than 28 degrees Celsius to cold weather with temperatureslower than 4 degrees Celsius. |
| Provinces | Soto Norte, Comunera, García Rovira, Guanentá, Mares, Metropolitana, Vélez, Carare Opón. |
| Santander Population | 2.061.079 inhabitants, according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Santander’s GDP | 23.4 billion dollars (2014) Fourth economy in the country |
| GDP Per Capita | 11.400 dollars (2014) |
| Gini Coefficient | 0,497 (2014) it comes 12 among 24 departments. |
| Human Development Index | 0.879 (2nd in the country) according to the National Human Development report submitted by the UNDP in 2011 |
| Life expectancy | 75 years |
| Official Language | Spanish |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5 % (2014) the third lowest in the country. |
| Annual average economic growth |
5,1 % The highest annual national growth (from 2004 to 2014) |
| Business creation | 16.203 in 2014 |
| Competitiveness Index | According to the Private Council of Competitiveness, Santander placed fourth among 22 departments (2014) |
| Poverty Index | 19, 6 % (2014) according to Dane. Second lowest poverty level among 24 departments. |
| Economically Active Population | 1 million 149 mil (2014) |
Information of Bucaramanga and the Metropolitan Area:
| Town | Bucaramanga and metropolitan area |
| Area | 1.084 Km2 |
| Municipalities | 4 |
| Borders | At the North of Bucaramanga with Rionegro, on the east with Matanza y Charta; at the east of Floridablanca with Tona; at the east of Piedecuesta with Santa Bárbara, on the south with Cepitá, Guaca, Aratoca and Los Santos; at the west of Girón with Betulia, on the south, with Zapatoca, on the north with Lebrija and Sabana de Torres. |
| Weather | Warm |
| Average temperature |
Between 22 – 30 degrees Celsius. |
| Bucaramanga and the metropolitanarea (Girón, Piedecuesta, Floridablanca) Population |
1.122.961, according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Bucaramanga Population |
527.985 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Girón Population |
180.305 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Floridablanca Population |
265.452 According to Dane projections by 2015. |
| Piedecuesta Population |
149.219 according to Dane projections by 2015 |
| Official Language |
Spanish |
| Unemployment rate in Bucaramanga and the metropolitan area |
8,2 % (2014) |
| Bucaramanga the metropolitan area’s inflation |
4,3% (2014) |
| Poverty level in Bucaramanga and the metropolitan area |
8,4 % leading the lowest poverty level in the country among 13 cities, according to Dane in 2014. |
| Gini Coefficient | 0,428 (2014) best city and metropolitan area on income distribution. |
Distance between Bucaramanga and:
- Bogotá: 411 Km
- Medellín: 404 km
- Santa Marta: 537 km
- Barranquilla: 578 Km
- Cartagena: 651 km
- Frontera Venezuela: 200 km
Flight time between Bucaramanga and:
- Bogotá: 1 hour(non-stop flight))
- Medellín: 1 hour(non-stop flight))
- Santa Marta: 3 hours 25 minutes(connecting flight via Bogotá)
- Barranquilla: 1 hour 20 minutes(non-stop flight))
- Cartagena: 1 hour 15 minutes(non-stop flight))
- Cali: 2 hours 48 minutes(connecting flight via Bogotá)
Municipalities of Santander
Santander is composed of 87 municipalities, which are located in the northeastern sector of the Colombian Andes. Within these are some of the most important cities of the region such as Bucaramanga, Floridablanca, Girón, Piedecuesta and Barrancabermeja.
Demography of Santander and Bucaramanga
Santander is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, whose cultural, gastronomic and economic characteristics made it completely different to the others, being an attractive destination, not only to invest but also for its quality of life to receive big companies looking for an ideal place to start operating.
How to travel to Bucaramanga?
You can arrive or leave Bucaramanga by air, from Palonegro International Airport, which has direct and international flights, or by land, from the Bucaramanga Transport Terminal, with about 49 national routes.