Santa Marta

Infobox City
official_name = Santa Marta
nickname = "America's Pearl ("La Perla de America")
motto =


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = El Rodadero Beach

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in the Department of Magdalena.
Municipality (dark gray)
City (red)
subdivision_type = Colombia
subdivision_type = Region
subdivision_type1 = Department
subdivision_name = Caribbean Region (Colombia)
subdivision_name1 = ^{Magdalena Department}
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = José Francisco Zúñiga Riascos, MCV
established_title = Foundation
established_date = July 29, 1525
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 2369
area_total_km2 =
area_land_sq_mi = 2369
area_land_km2 =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_km2 =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 = 1472
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2002 *
population_note =
population_total = 410309
population_footnotes = [http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:jXoaLq2PphwJ:www.col.ops-oms.org/sivigila/Indicadores/indicadores2002.xls+dane+proyecciones+poblacion+santa+marta&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6 OPS: Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud - Document] www.col.ops-oms.org Accessed 29 September 2006.]
population_metro =
population_urban = 394168
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
timezone =
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd= |latm= |lats= |latNS=
longd= |longm= |longs= |longEW=
elevation_m = 1
elevation_ft =
website =
[http://www.santamarta.gov.co/ www.santamarta.gov.co]
footnotes = ^*Santa Marta's metropolitan area is yet to be determined.

Santa Marta is a city and municipality, located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean sea and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, capital of the Magdalena Department. The city is an important maritime port and hub for tourism, history and culture. Founded on July 29, 1525 by Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, who named the city after the Catholic day for Saint Martha, which in Spain was celebrated with festivities. However many historians argue that he named it after the Spanish city of Santa Marta de Astorgas, which he had also visited. It was one of the first cities to be founded in Colombia. The first one was Santa María la Antigua del Darién.

"El Libertador" Simón Bolívar died at a ranch named Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino on the outskirts of Santa Marta on 17 December, 1830. The city has also been affected to some extent by the Colombian Armed Conflict.

History

The area where Santa Marta lies was inhabited prior to the Arrival of Spanish explorers by Amerindians from the Tairona culture, and its subsequent families: Arhuacos and Koguis among others. The city was founded in July 29, 1525 by Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, accompanied by some two hundred of his men and a few amerindians. He named the city after the Catholic day for Saint Martha, which in Spain was celebrated with festivities. However many historians argue that he named it after the Spanish city of Santa Marta de Astorgas, which he had visited [http://www.santamarta.gov.co/index.asp?id=2&ide=97&id_seccion=161&tisec=NUESTRO%20MUNICIPIO Santa Marta: City government] santamarta.gov.co Accessed 29 September 2006.] . With its foundation, the Spanish colonization also started the conquering of lands from this region, and the set up of Administrative functions for the colony, including a maritime port and the construction of defenses to prevent pirate raids.

During the Colonial times the city started losing its importance as maritime port to nearby city port of Cartagena.

During the mid-19th century, French, English and North American immigrants along with some locals started to introduce industrial ways of productions and founded trade associations among industrials and the farmers. As a result they built railways which would connect productive networks.

In 1871, the University of Magdalena is founded, with initially two faculties: law and medicine.

During the 20th century the city served as main port for massive exports of Bananas and coal produced inland with the assistance of major multinational corporations.

In 1968 the government decentralized the Port Authority, leaving Santa Marta with its own Por Authority ("Capitania de Puerto"). [http://www.dimar.mil.co/VBeContent/newsdetail.asp?id=5030&idcompany=59 DIMAR: Port Authority of Santa Marta] dimar.mil.co Accessed 29 September 2006.] .

In recent years, Santa Marta has attracted large numbers of people displaced by the paramilitary groups operating in the area. The warm climate and the possibility of occasional work serving the tourist industry has increased the city's population drastically.

Geography and climate

Climate

Temperatures in the city of Santa Marta ranges from 18.65 to 31.15 degrees Celsius at sea level, but the Municipality of Santa Marta stratches up to the highest snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Rainfall in this region varies from 12 to 975 mm per month.

Economy

Tourism

Las Fiestas del Mar (The Festival of the Sea) is celebrated on a yearly basis in this city. It serves as a tourist attraction during the midyear vacation period. One of the main events in the festival is the jetski show organized by Santa Marta Esqui. There are beauty pageants, parades and parties in the city. The Festival's slogan is "Santa Marta, la magia de tenerlo todo" (translates as "Santa Marta, the magic of having it all").

*Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino: Built in the 17th century, was the last home of Simon Bolivar, today it is a house/museum in his honor.
*The Cathedral: it is a national monument built in 1766, it held the remains of Simon Bolivar until 1842.

*La Casa de la Aduana (Customs House): it is the oldest house of America, built in 1530. Today it is the Tayrona Museum.

*Madame Agustine House: it is a jewel of the colonial architecture.

*San Fernando Fort: built by Spanish conquerors to protect the city from the pirates, it is a fine sample of colonial military architecture.

*Tairona National Park: located at 34 km north of Santa Marta, it is the most important ecological reserve in Colombia. It has camping zones, virgin beaches, ecotourism, and indigenous tribes.

*Quebrada Valencia: a majestic waterfall emerging in the middle of the rain forest.

*Pueblito: also known as Cahirama, it is one of the 200 pre-Columbian cities discovered near Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

*Taganga: an authentic fishing town, it is known as a great place for scuba diving, and it has beautiful beaches nearby.
*The Mamancana Natural Reserve: This natural reserve offers the possibility to see wildlife and practice extreme sports such as paragliding, downhill, rock climbing, and canopying.

ister Cities

Santa Marta has one sister city [ [http://miamibeachsistercities.com Miami Beach Sister Cities Program ] ]
* Miami Beach, United States

ports

The town has a football (soccer) team, Unión Magdalena nicknamed "El ciclón bananero" (The Banana Cyclone).

Santa Marta is the birthplace of Carlos Valderrama, Colombia's most famous football (soccer) player, Carlos Vives, as well as Johan Vonlanthen, one of Switzerland's best young football players.

ee also

*Santa Marta Massacre
*Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
*Arhuacos
*Taironas
*Simon Bolivar
*Griselda Blanco
*Carlos Vives
*Carlos Valderrama (footballer)

References

References

*es icon [http://www.elportalcaribe.com/ es icon Santa Marta in elportalcaribe.com]
*es icon [http://www.analitica.com/va/ambiente/opinion/9009687.asp es icon Santa Marta in analitica.com]
*es icon [http://cids.unimagdalena.edu.co/plansantamarta2025/LaCiudad.htm UNIMAGDALENA]
*es icon [http://www.banrep.gov.co/docum/Pdf-econom-region/Cuadernos/CHEE07-Demier.pdf Bank of the Republic, economic history of Santa Marta]

External links

*es icon [http://www.santamarta.gov.co Santa Marta official website]
* [http://www.agendasamaria.com Programa Radial Independiente]