NORTE DE SANTANDER
Inhabitant: Nortesantandereano
This wealthy department is situated in north-eastern Colombia and is
bordered in the north and in the east by the Republic of Venezuela. In
the south, it is bordered by the departments of Santander and
Boyacá and in the west by Santander and Cesar. Its surface area
is 21,658 square kilometres.
The territory is divided into two regions: the plains, in the zone of
Zulia-Catatumbo, and the mountainous zone on the eastern
cordillera
(mountain range). This topography makes the department have a
variety of climates.
The most important rivers of the area are Catatumbo, Zulia and
Pamplonita.
Norte de Santander's fertile land makes agriculture one of the main
sources of income. Industry is also quite important and has developed
significantly because of substantial commerce with neighbouring
Venezuela. The department has a good network of highways, oil and gas
pipelines.
The first conqueror who arrived on
Nortesantandereana soil was
the German Ambrosio Alfinger in 1530. An intense Spanish invasion began
the following year. The region was populated by the Motilones native
tribe, who showed strong resistance to the European conquerors.
Norte de Santander and Santander formed the Sovereign State of
Santander, whose capital was the city of Pamplona. The state became a
department in 1886 but was divided into two separate political units in
1908. The department of Norte de Santander was created in 1910. At
present, Norte de Santander has about 1,464,900 inhabitants.
There are beautiful landscapes in the region such as Los Estoraques
Nature Reserve, the Nature Reserve Tama and the Natural National Park
Catatumbo-Barí.
Capital: San José de Cúcuta
The city was founded by Antonio Villamizar Pineda on the banks of the
Pamplonita River in the land called Guasimal and named San José
de Guasimales. A few months later, its name was changed to San
José de Cúcuta. Its average temperature is 27 degrees
Celsius.
Cúcuta borders Venezuela and so its economy is based mainly on
commerce with that country.
This city of great historical value, was destroyed by a devastating
earthquake in 1875. The courage and willingness of the Cucuteños
helped reconstruct the city in a very short time. At present it has a
population of about 900,000 people.
Among the city's more important places are the House of Culture, the
clock tower, the Bank of the Republic and the Julio Pérez Ferro
Public Library, where many cultural activities take place.
There are very impressive monuments and sculptures such as
La
Columna de Bolívar ,
Monumento Padilla, Monumento a
Cristo Rey,
Monument to Father Rafael García Herreros
and many others.
There are also many pretty parks and places of recreation such as
El
Malecón, on the banks of the Pamplonita River, excellent
restaurants, numerous discotheques and nightclubs. The city has very
good hotels.
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