Santa Marta
District and city
Top: Panorama of the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, 2nd left: Mirador in Cabo San Juan del Guia, Tayrona Natural Park, 2nd right: Santa Marta Cathedral, 3rd left: Statue of Simon Bolívar in Quinta of Saint Pedro Alejandrino, 3rd upper middle: Colombian National Pantheon in Barrio Mamatoco, 3rd lower middle: Santa Marta City Hall, 3rd right: Tribute to the Tayrona Ethnicity Square, Bottom: Panorama of Acuático El Rodadero Park
Top: Panorama of the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, 2nd left: Mirador in Cabo San Juan del Guia, Tayrona Natural Park, 2nd right: Santa Marta Cathedral, 3rd left: Statue of Simon Bolívar in Quinta of Saint Pedro Alejandrino, 3rd upper middle: Colombian National Pantheon in Barrio Mamatoco, 3rd lower middle: Santa Marta City Hall, 3rd right: Tribute to the Tayrona Ethnicity Square, Bottom: Panorama of Acuático El Rodadero Park
Flag of Santa Marta
Coat of arms of Santa Marta
Nickname: 
America's Pearl (La Perla de America)
Location in the Department of Magdalena.Municipality (red)City (dark grey)
Location in the Department of Magdalena.
Municipality (red)
City (dark grey)
Santa Marta is located in Colombia
Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 11°14′31″N 74°12′19″W / 11.24194°N 74.20528°W / 11.24194; -74.20528
Country Colombia
RegionCaribbean Region
DepartmentMagdalena
FoundationJuly 29, 1525
Founded byRodrigo de Bastidas
Named forMartha
Government
  MayorVirna Lizi Johnson Salcedo (2020–2023) (Fuerza Ciudadana)
Area
  District and city2,393.65 km2 (924.07 sq mi)
  Urban
55.10 km2 (21.27 sq mi)
Elevation
15 m (49 ft)
Population
 (2018 Census[1])
  District and city499,192
  Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
  Urban
455,299
  Urban density8,300/km2 (21,000/sq mi)
 DANE
DemonymSamario
Time zoneUTC-05:00 (Colombia Time)
Postal codes
470001–470017[2]
Area code57 + 5
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Santa Marta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˌsanta ˈmaɾta]), officially the Distrito Turístico, Cultural e Histórico de Santa Marta (English: Touristic, Cultural and Historic District of Santa Marta), is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in northern Colombia. It is the capital of Magdalena Department and the fourth-largest urban city of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, after Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Soledad. Founded on July 29, 1525, by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, it was one of the first Spanish settlements in Colombia, its oldest surviving city, and second oldest in South America.[3] This city is situated on a bay by the same name and as such, it is a prime tourist destination in the Caribbean region.[4]

History

Pre-Colombian times

Before the arrival of Europeans, the South American continent was inhabited by a number of indigenous groups. Due to a combination of tropical weather, significant rainfall, and the destruction and misrepresentation of many records by Spanish conquistadors, our understanding of the peoples of this region is limited.

The Tairona formed mid- to large-size population centers, consisting of stone pathways, terraces, protected waterways, and spaces dedicated to agricultural produce. Their economy was primarily agricultural, cultivating corn, pineapple, yucca, and other local foodstuffs. The Tayrona are considered quite advanced for their time period. Surviving archaeological sites consisted of formed terraces and small scale underground stone channels. They were known to actively collect and process salt, which was a significant trading commodity.

They traded with other indigenous groups along the coast and interior. Archaeological excavations have recovered significant works in pottery, stonework and gold.

Flag

Santa Marta's flag consists of two colors: white and blue. White symbolises peace, in that all are united without restriction. Blue symbolises the sky, the sea, the magic found in the horizon, and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains.

Geography

Vista satelital de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

Santa Marta is located on Santa Marta Bay of the Caribbean Sea in the province of Magdalena. It is 992 km from Bogotá and 93 km from Barranquilla. It is bordered to the north and west by the Caribbean and to the south by the municipalities of Aracataca and Ciénaga.

Climate

Santa Marta experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), bordering on a hot semi-arid climate, with largely uniform temperatures year round. The dry season lasts from December to April, while the wet season lasts from May to November.

Climate data for Santa Marta (Simón Bolívar International Airport) 1981-2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.0
(98.6)
38.2
(100.8)
37.0
(98.6)
37.6
(99.7)
37.4
(99.3)
37.4
(99.3)
37.8
(100.0)
37.4
(99.3)
37.2
(99.0)
36.2
(97.2)
38.2
(100.8)
37.6
(99.7)
38.2
(100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 33.0
(91.4)
33.6
(92.5)
33.8
(92.8)
33.6
(92.5)
32.9
(91.2)
33.0
(91.4)
33.0
(91.4)
32.8
(91.0)
32.5
(90.5)
32.1
(89.8)
32.1
(89.8)
32.4
(90.3)
32.9
(91.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27.4
(81.3)
27.9
(82.2)
28.4
(83.1)
28.9
(84.0)
29.1
(84.4)
29.1
(84.4)
28.8
(83.8)
28.6
(83.5)
28.3
(82.9)
27.9
(82.2)
27.8
(82.0)
27.5
(81.5)
28.3
(82.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22.3
(72.1)
23.2
(73.8)
24.2
(75.6)
25.3
(77.5)
25.5
(77.9)
25.1
(77.2)
24.6
(76.3)
24.5
(76.1)
24.3
(75.7)
24.2
(75.6)
23.8
(74.8)
22.7
(72.9)
24.1
(75.4)
Record low °C (°F) 17.4
(63.3)
18.3
(64.9)
20.0
(68.0)
19.0
(66.2)
18.0
(64.4)
19.0
(66.2)
18.0
(64.4)
18.0
(64.4)
17.0
(62.6)
17.0
(62.6)
17.0
(62.6)
18.0
(64.4)
17.0
(62.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.1
(0.12)
2.0
(0.08)
12.3
(0.48)
44.1
(1.74)
55.4
(2.18)
60.7
(2.39)
59.6
(2.35)
70.0
(2.76)
98.3
(3.87)
111.0
(4.37)
73.5
(2.89)
15.2
(0.60)
615.3
(24.22)
Average rainy days 0 1 1 3 7 9 10 13 13 13 8 2 80
Average relative humidity (%) 74 72 72 74 76 76 77 78 79 80 79 76 76
Mean monthly sunshine hours 285.2 248.6 251.1 228.0 223.2 228.0 232.5 220.1 201.0 204.6 219.0 269.7 2,811
Mean daily sunshine hours 9.2 8.8 8.1 7.6 7.2 7.6 7.5 7.1 6.7 6.6 7.3 8.7 7.7
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales[5][6][7]

Economy

Santa Marta's economy is based on tourism, trade, port activities, fishing and agriculture, in that order. The main agricultural products are: bananas, coffee, cocoa and cassava.

Infrastructure

Santa Marta is a major port. Simón Bolívar International Airport (IATA: SMR ) is 16 km (10 mi) from the city centre. Historic figure Simón Bolívar died here, a significant event for South America as a whole. His villa known as La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is located just outside the city centre. As the main city centre is located close to the coast, the city itself has had difficulty controlling expansion. Although, technically a separate locality, Rodadero is part of Santa Marta itself.

Notable people

Media appearances

Santa Marta is the production location of the TV series The White Slave.

See also

References

  1. "2018 census" (PDF). Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE), Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  2. "Santa Marta Postal Codes". Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  3. "Santa Marta historia y tradición" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Educación Nacional.
  4. "Colombia" (in Spanish). Decameron. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  5. "Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010" (in Spanish). Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  6. "Promedios Climatológicos 1971–2000" (in Spanish). Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  7. "Tiempo y Clima" (in Spanish). Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.

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