Cúcuta
Encyclopedia
Cúcuta (ˈku.ku.ta) is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuela
n border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District
. It is located at the most active international border in South America and is connected by roads with Bogota
, Caracas
and Cartagena
. Its air terminal, the Camilo Daza International Airport
is one of the most traveled in the country.
According to the 2005 census it has a population 918,942 inhabitants, which rank it as the 5th largest city in the country. The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
(conformed by other 6 municipalities) has a population of 1,298,187 inhabitants, having the same position in the conurbations. For several years it has had the lowest unemployment rate in the country, which nowadays is 8.6%.
It is situated in the Cordillera Oriental
in the Andes
and is connected with Venezuela
through the Pan-American Highway
. Its area of 1176 km² represents 5.65% of the department. Its altitude is 320 m above sea level, with an average temperature 28°C and annual average precipitation of 1,041 mm.
The city is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Puerto Santander
, to the south by Villa del Rosario
, Bochalema
, and Los Patios
, to the north by Tibú
, and to the west by El Zulia
and San Cayetano.
) denotes the Virgin Mary's husband, and "Cúcuta" means "The House of Goblins", from the language of the Barí
indigenous group
.
In the city's seal, a legend states, Muy Noble, Valerosa y Leal Villa de San José de Cúcuta ("Very Noble, Valiant and Loyal Village of San José of Cúcuta").
The city has the nicknames "City Without Borders", "Gem of the North," and "City Forest.".
Cúcuta was originally a pre-hispanic settlement. It was entrusted to Sebastian Lorenzo by Pedro de Ursua
as an encomienda
in 1550. Juana Rangel de Cuellar founded Cúcuta on June 17, 1733, and donated a further 782 hectares (1,932.4 acre). The village, centred on a church, grew considerably due to its strategic commercial location, and eventually became a city.
Several important events that forged Colombia as an independent republic took place in city: one of these events was the Congress of 1821
, where the Constitution of Cúcuta
was written and approved. This constitution created the Greater Colombia, a nation conformed by the present-day territories of Colombia
, Venezuela
, Ecuador
, and Panama
. The city preserves places where these historical events took place: the Historical Church of Cúcuta, the House of Santander
, and the Park of the Great Colombia.
As the site of the Battle of Cúcuta
(February 28, 1813) the city was the beginning of the Admirable Campaign
led by Simón Bolívar
. This campaign resulted in the independence of Venezuela.
Ambrosio Alfinger, who in 1530 came from Santa Ana de Coro
(Venezuela
) with a troop of adventurers and invaded the unexplored eastern region of the newly created Gobernation of Santa Marta.
Alfínger, in search of El Dorado
, arrived in an area of indigenous settlements called Tamalameque along the Magdalena River, fighting and defeating several tribes. Alfinger was eventually killed in the outskirts of present-day Chinácota
in a battle with Chimilas and Chitareros Indians. With Alfínger dead, Fedro St. Martin took command of the troops and returned to Coro, passing through the territory of Cucuta.
The 1541 Hernan Perez de Quesada, reached the territory of Chinácota
, but had to turn back the same year due to the resistance of indigenous people. Shortly thereafter, Alfonso Perez de Tolosa, left Tocuyo (Venezuela) and went to Salazar de Las Palmas
, through Cúcuta, but also had to turn back after losing a lot of soldiers in clashes with the natives.
In 1549 Spanish troops, commanded by Pedro de Ursúa
and Ortún Velasco, invaded North Santander and reached the valleys of Pamplona. In tribute to the Spanish city of Pamplona
, the Spaniards founded the city of Pamplona
. The new town soon attracted numerous people because of its agreeable climate and gold mines that were discovered in the region. From this town came further expeditions which completed the conquest of the current territory of North Santander.
An expedition commanded by Diego de Montes founded the town of Salazar, but it was soon destroyed by the Cacique Cínera. In 1583 the town was rebuilt by Alonso Esteban Rangel (great-grandfather of the founder of Cucuta) on a site more appropriate for its defense in the event of new attacks by the natives.
The second expedition commanded by captain Francisco Fernández de Contreras reached to the lands of the Hacaritamas indigenous group and on July 26, 1572 founded the city of Ocaña, calling it "Santa Ana de Hacarí", while some of his colleagues the named it New Madrid, and others Santa Ana of Ocaña. The next year, Antonio Orozco, subaltern of Fernandez, founded the town of Teorama, while the Friars Augustinians
founded a convent in what is today the city of Chinácota
.
In the early 16th century a great part of the valleys of Cúcuta belonged to Captain Christopher de Araque Ponce de Leon. The land passed through inheritance to his son Fernando Araque Ponce de Leon, who was owner of the entire territory from the Valley of Cucuta to the village of San Jose; jurisdiction of the city of San Faustino. These fields had been donated to the master Araque by the Governor of the Province of New Mérida heading on September 9, 1630.
The constant hostility of the Motilones indigenous group with the whites who lived in the valley and their economic ambitions were key factors to request the erection of a parish with the name "San José". Juana Rangel de Cuéllar
donated 782 hectares (1,932.4 acre) on June 17, 1783 for the construction of a church and land for Spanish families. Today this area is the neighbourhood of San Luis.
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The Battle of Cúcuta
was one of the most important events of the Spanish American wars of independence, due to its role in the independence of Colombia and Venezuela. This battle was the beginning of the Admirable Campaign
of Simón Bolívar
. On February 28, 1813, the Bolivar captured the city after a battle that lasted from 9:00 a.m. until noon. About 400 men led by Bolivar fought 800 troops led by the Spanish general Ramon Correa. Two Colombian soldiers were killed and 14 injured; on the opposing side, 20 Spanish forces were killed and 40 injured. The victory freed the city of Cúcuta and started the Admirable Campaign
.
Colonel Simón Bolívar then launched a major offensive against the Spanish forces who were on the east bank of the Magdalena River and quickly achieved resounding victories that carried him to undertake a journey to liberate the Valleys of Cúcuta held by the command of royalist Colonel Ramon Correa.
took place at the town of Villa del Rosario (today part of Cucuta) in the church known today as the "Historic Temple of Cúcuta". The congress was established by Antonio Nariño and participants included Francisco de Paula Santander
, Simón Bolívar
, and other leaders of Spanish America's struggle for independence from Spain.
The main objective of this congress was to unify the nations of the New Granada (Colombia
and Panama
) and Venezuela and thus create a huge state to be known as the Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia
). Ecuador
subsequently joined Gran Colombia.
At 11 am on October 3, 1821,Simón Bolívar entered the meeting room in the sacristy of the church. He took a seat next to the president of Congress and was sworn in as president of the fledgling Republic of Colombia.
and Capacho, seriously damaged the Venezuelan settlements of San Cristóbal
, La Mulata, Rubio, Michelena, La Grita and Colón (among others), and was felt in Bogotá
and Caracas
.
In the 19th century, the construction of a railroad set off an Industrial Revolution
in the city. The railroad had four branches: North, East, South and West. The North branch was constructed from 1878 to 1888, and connected Cúcuta with Puerto Santander
and Venezuela. Construction of the Eastern and Southern branches began in 1878; the South branch linked with Pamplona, Colombia
, and ended in El Diamante. The West branch was not built owing to economic problems. The railroad company
fell into bankruptcy and was closed in 1960.
The population of the city's metropolitan area was 59,323 in 1939, 532,564 in 1990, and 950,000 in 2005.
Many of the city's historic buildings lie within the Park of Greater Colombia, including the House of Santander
, the historic church, and the historic tamarind. All these are well preserved.
of North Santander, in the Cordillera Oriental
, close to the border with Venezuela
. The city's area is 1,176 km², or 5.65% of the area of North Santander. The elevation is 320 metres (1,050 ft) above sea-level
.
Rivers in Cúcuta and Norte de Santander include the Pamplonita River
, Guaramito River, San Miguel River
and Zulia River
.
The Pamplonita River crosses the Norte de Santander Department.
. The mean temperature is 28.0 °C; high temperatures are around 35 °C. There is a sharp contrast between the wet season
and the dry season
. The driest months are December, January, February and March; the wettest are April, May, September, October and November. June and July usually have significant precipitation, whereas August is sunny and windy. The annual precipitation is around 1,041 mm.
layout adopted from Spain in colonial times. Calles (streets) traverse from east to west, perpendicular to the hills, and numbering increases to the north and to the south from Calle 1. Avenidas (avenues) traverse from south to north, parallel to the hills, and numbering increases both east to west, and west to east from a central avenida numbered 0 (Avenida Cero, one of the city's most important avenues). From west to east, avenues are numbered with an E added to their number, as to denote East (este) .
More than 300 neighborhoods form the urban network. Affluent neighborhoods are primarily situated in the north and north-east; poorer ones are in the south and south-east, many of them squatter areas. The middle class lives mostly in the central, west and northwest areas.
. However, the flag of Cúcuta was not legalized until Mayor Carlos A. Rangel issued Decree 106 on May 3, 1988.
The upper part depicts the weapons of the city's founder Juana Rangel of Cuéllar, who donated lands for the foundation of the city on June 17, 1733. They are five silver and red fleur-de-lis
in the shape of reels, on a golden background.
The lower part of the shield displays the weapons that the National Congress adopted for Colombia
by the Law of October 6, 1821, at its meeting in the Villa del Rosario
. In the center are a quiver of spears, marked with X's, and a set of bow and arrows, tied with tricolor tape. The spears represent attributes of the Roman consuls; the X is a symbol of the right of life or death; the bow and arrows are symbols of the Hispanic Indu race.
, Los Patios
, El Zulia
, San Cayetano
and Puerto Santander
, has a combined population of more than 1.1 million people. It is the largest metropolitan area in eastern Colombia and sixth in Colombia behind Barranquilla
and Cartagena
.
As of the census of 2005, there were 1,196,755 people and 187,041 households in the city. The population density was 2,000/km², making Cúcuta one of the more densely-populated cities in the east of the country.
Many notable Colombians are from Cúcuta:
As of 2006, the mayor of Cúcuta is Ramiro Suárez Corzo
, who has occupied the position since January 2004 (elected by a majority of 62.06%). He represents the movement Colombia Viva.
Cúcuta is the capital of Norte de Santander Department, and houses the Department Hall and the City Hall
of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
along with the Francisco de Paula Santander Justice Palace. The Principal Mayor and Urban Council, both elected by popular vote, are responsible for city administration.
The city divided into 10 localities (comunas). The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
is formed by Cúcuta (as the main city), Villa del Rosario
, Los Patios
, San Cayetano, El Zulia
and Puerto Santander
.
Politics in Cúcuta are not defined by a single political movement
. Past rivals included the Partido Liberal Colombiano and the Colombian Conservative Party
. Today the political landscape is shared by many political parties, none commanding majority support.
, Barranquilla
, Cali
, Medellín
, and Bogotá
. Cúcuta's economy is based primarily in industry and agriculture. The "zone franca" is the most active of Colombia due to its proximity to Venezuela (the second commercial partner of Colombia). The industry of the city is focused on mining, the production of milk, and the cement and construction material production.
Smuggling operations are also common in the Cúcuta region.
with the United States amidst opposition by Venezuela. Despite this opposition, industries from Venezuela are constructing their infrastructure in Cúcuta to export their products to the United States, registering their products as if they were Colombian, a strategy that would allow them to export without paying certain tariffs. For that reason, Cúcuta is expected to become an industrial city.
Colombian law provides tax exemptions for Venezuelan imports through the Zona Franca, which, coupled with the motorway links between Cúcuta and Maracaibo
, increases the possibility of exports from Maracaibo into Colombia.
s, WiMAX
wireless networks, and mobile phone
networks (GSM, CDMA and TDMA
).
Telecom Colombia
offers the service of local, national and international telephone and broadband
ADSL Internet. There are three mobile telephone operators: Comcel
, Movistar
and Tigo.
includes the Metrobus system.
For travel outside the city, there is a bus station
called "Terminal de Transportes" (to be replaced by a new one), the Camilo Daza International Airport
(Colombia) and the San Antonio Airport (Venezuela). Eighty years ago the city had the "Railroad of Cúcuta", which connected with Venezuela.
The highway to Bucaramanga
(renovated in January 2007) connects Cúcuta with Bogotá
, Medellín and Cali
. The highway to Ocaña
connects the city with Barranquilla
, Cartagena
and Santa Marta
; the highway to San Cristóbal
with Caracas
.
Six overpass
es are under construction.
and the high school education are in Colombian "Calendar A" for schools (from February to November).
Private Universities
es, a convention center
, a new bus terminal
, a new Integrated Massive Transportation System
called Metrobus, modernization of state owned schools, renewal of downtown
, and doubling the capacity of the General Santander Stadium.
New industries are expected to come from Venezuela
, which will place their factories in Cúcuta to export through the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
between Colombia
and the United States
.
From its founding, residents have valued Cúcuta's trees.
Cúcuta has more green zones than many other cities in Colombia. Some consider it an urban lung, due to its many trees and lack of pollution. The greenery is thanks to gifts by prominent Cucuteños, and the legion of foreigners who reconstructed the city after the 1875 earthquake, led by engineer Francisco de Paula Andrade Troconis. The first planted trees were clemones. Soon they were replaced by acacia
s, peracos and almond
trees that adorned the parks and roadsides. An example of this city design is the Avenue of the Lights (based on oití, ficus
and cují), that forms a natural tunnel admired in the rest of the country and by tourists.
Palm trees
are common in places such as Santander Park, Great Colombian Park, the Bank of the Republic and the Department Hall of Norte de Santander.
Health
Mass media
Universities
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District
Districts of Colombia
The Districts in Colombia are cities that have a feature that highlights them, such as its location and trade, history or tourism. Arguably, the districts are special municipalities....
. It is located at the most active international border in South America and is connected by roads with Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
and Cartagena
Cartagena
-Colombia:*Cartagena, Colombia, a city in the Bolivar Region, the largest city bearing this name*Cartagena de Chairá, Colombia-Other:*Cartagena *Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety*FC Cartagena, a football club based in Cartagena, Spain-See also:...
. Its air terminal, the Camilo Daza International Airport
Camilo Daza International Airport
Camilo Daza International Airport is a civil airport located in Cúcuta, Colombia. The airport serves the Norte de Santander Department . The airport contains international facilities and is able to operate general aviation flights to international destinations.This air terminal is located 5 km...
is one of the most traveled in the country.
According to the 2005 census it has a population 918,942 inhabitants, which rank it as the 5th largest city in the country. The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta is a Colombian metropolitan area located in the eastern section of the Norte de Santander department bordering with Venezuela.. Its main city is Cúcuta...
(conformed by other 6 municipalities) has a population of 1,298,187 inhabitants, having the same position in the conurbations. For several years it has had the lowest unemployment rate in the country, which nowadays is 8.6%.
It is situated in the Cordillera Oriental
Cordillera Oriental, Colombia
The Cordillera Oriental is one of three main mountain ranges that divides the Cordillera in the Andes Mountains of Colombia.It extends from southeast to northeast from the "Colombian Massif" in Huila to the Perijá Mountains in La Guajira....
in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and is connected with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
through the Pan-American Highway
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
. Its area of 1176 km² represents 5.65% of the department. Its altitude is 320 m above sea level, with an average temperature 28°C and annual average precipitation of 1,041 mm.
The city is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
, to the south by Villa del Rosario
Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander
Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
, Bochalema
Bochalema
Bochalema is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
, and Los Patios
Los Patios
Los Patios is a municipality and town in the Department of Norte de Santander, northeastern Colombia. Has a population of some 58,851 inhabitants. -History:The history of this community begins in the 17th century...
, to the north by Tibú
Tibú
Tibú is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-History:The area of present day Tibú was established as a camp basement by oil companies who first arrived in the area in 1945. On March 8, 1945 the Council of Cúcuta approved the creation of the corregimiento...
, and to the west by El Zulia
El Zulia
El Zulia is a municipality of the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. A portion of this municipality is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta.-References:...
and San Cayetano.
Etymology
The city of Cúcuta was called San José de Guasimales from 1733 to 1793, the year in which the name changed to San José de Cúcuta—"San José" (Saint JosephSaint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
) denotes the Virgin Mary's husband, and "Cúcuta" means "The House of Goblins", from the language of the Barí
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
indigenous group
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
.
In the city's seal, a legend states, Muy Noble, Valerosa y Leal Villa de San José de Cúcuta ("Very Noble, Valiant and Loyal Village of San José of Cúcuta").
The city has the nicknames "City Without Borders", "Gem of the North," and "City Forest.".
History
Pedro de Ursúa
Pedro de Ursúa was a Spanish Basque conquistador from Baztan in the 16th century. In Panama, Ursúa subdued a Cimarron revolt by tricking Cimarron leader Bayano into coming unprepared to negotiate a truce, but then captured him and sent him back to King Philip II of Spain...
as an encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
in 1550. Juana Rangel de Cuellar founded Cúcuta on June 17, 1733, and donated a further 782 hectares (1,932.4 acre). The village, centred on a church, grew considerably due to its strategic commercial location, and eventually became a city.
Several important events that forged Colombia as an independent republic took place in city: one of these events was the Congress of 1821
Congress of Cúcuta
The Congress of Cúcuta was a constituent assembly where Gran Colombia was created. The Congress elected Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander president and vice-president, respectively....
, where the Constitution of Cúcuta
Constitution of Cúcuta
The Constitution of Cúcuta, also known as Constitution of the Gran Colombia and Constitution of 1821 was the founding document and constitution of the country of Gran Colombia, unifying the territories of the Viceroyalty of New Granada as part of a federation...
was written and approved. This constitution created the Greater Colombia, a nation conformed by the present-day territories of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. The city preserves places where these historical events took place: the Historical Church of Cúcuta, the House of Santander
House of Santander
The House of Santander is the place where the hero of the Colombian independence Francisco de Paula Santander lived his first 13 years.It's in the locality of Villa del Rosario , in the 6th km of the International Highway to Venezuela....
, and the Park of the Great Colombia.
As the site of the Battle of Cúcuta
Battle of Cúcuta
The Battle of Cúcuta was a battle fought in the Independence of Colombia on February 28, 1813. It was an important symbolic victory that greatly increased the morale of Bolivar's army and aided them in their fight against the Spanish in Venezuela....
(February 28, 1813) the city was the beginning of the Admirable Campaign
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the independentists...
led by Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
. This campaign resulted in the independence of Venezuela.
16th Century: First European incursions
The first European in the North Santander territories was the German conquerorConquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Ambrosio Alfinger, who in 1530 came from Santa Ana de Coro
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
(Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) with a troop of adventurers and invaded the unexplored eastern region of the newly created Gobernation of Santa Marta.
Alfínger, in search of El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
, arrived in an area of indigenous settlements called Tamalameque along the Magdalena River, fighting and defeating several tribes. Alfinger was eventually killed in the outskirts of present-day Chinácota
Chinácota
Chinácota is a small town and municipality located in the Department of Norte de Santander in Colombia, South America. This department is located on the North-Eastern region of the country, near the border with Venezuela...
in a battle with Chimilas and Chitareros Indians. With Alfínger dead, Fedro St. Martin took command of the troops and returned to Coro, passing through the territory of Cucuta.
Chinácota
Chinácota is a small town and municipality located in the Department of Norte de Santander in Colombia, South America. This department is located on the North-Eastern region of the country, near the border with Venezuela...
, but had to turn back the same year due to the resistance of indigenous people. Shortly thereafter, Alfonso Perez de Tolosa, left Tocuyo (Venezuela) and went to Salazar de Las Palmas
Salazar de las Palmas
Salazar de las Palmas is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
, through Cúcuta, but also had to turn back after losing a lot of soldiers in clashes with the natives.
In 1549 Spanish troops, commanded by Pedro de Ursúa
Pedro de Ursúa
Pedro de Ursúa was a Spanish Basque conquistador from Baztan in the 16th century. In Panama, Ursúa subdued a Cimarron revolt by tricking Cimarron leader Bayano into coming unprepared to negotiate a truce, but then captured him and sent him back to King Philip II of Spain...
and Ortún Velasco, invaded North Santander and reached the valleys of Pamplona. In tribute to the Spanish city of Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, the Spaniards founded the city of Pamplona
Pamplona, Colombia
Pamplona is a municipality and city in Norte de Santander, Colombia.-Colonization:Nueva Pamplona del Valle del Espíritu Santo, the name by which Don Pedro de Ursúa and Don Ortún Velasco de Velázquez paid tribute to the capital of the province of Navarre in Spain, was founded on 1 November 1549...
. The new town soon attracted numerous people because of its agreeable climate and gold mines that were discovered in the region. From this town came further expeditions which completed the conquest of the current territory of North Santander.
An expedition commanded by Diego de Montes founded the town of Salazar, but it was soon destroyed by the Cacique Cínera. In 1583 the town was rebuilt by Alonso Esteban Rangel (great-grandfather of the founder of Cucuta) on a site more appropriate for its defense in the event of new attacks by the natives.
The second expedition commanded by captain Francisco Fernández de Contreras reached to the lands of the Hacaritamas indigenous group and on July 26, 1572 founded the city of Ocaña, calling it "Santa Ana de Hacarí", while some of his colleagues the named it New Madrid, and others Santa Ana of Ocaña. The next year, Antonio Orozco, subaltern of Fernandez, founded the town of Teorama, while the Friars Augustinians
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
founded a convent in what is today the city of Chinácota
Chinácota
Chinácota is a small town and municipality located in the Department of Norte de Santander in Colombia, South America. This department is located on the North-Eastern region of the country, near the border with Venezuela...
.
17th Century: Foundation
"A journey through the city centre where the Cathedral of St. Joseph, the Palace of Government and the Monument to the column of Bolivar are located is returning to the historical roots of our ancestors.". |
| — El Espectador El Espectador El Espectador is a newspaper with national circulation within Colombia, founded by Fidel Cano Gutiérrez on 22 March 1887 in Medellín and published since 1915 in Bogotá... |
In the early 16th century a great part of the valleys of Cúcuta belonged to Captain Christopher de Araque Ponce de Leon. The land passed through inheritance to his son Fernando Araque Ponce de Leon, who was owner of the entire territory from the Valley of Cucuta to the village of San Jose; jurisdiction of the city of San Faustino. These fields had been donated to the master Araque by the Governor of the Province of New Mérida heading on September 9, 1630.
The constant hostility of the Motilones indigenous group with the whites who lived in the valley and their economic ambitions were key factors to request the erection of a parish with the name "San José". Juana Rangel de Cuéllar
Juana Rangel de Cuéllar
Juana Rangel de Cuellar is the founder of the Colombian city of Cúcuta, located in the Norte de Santander Department....
donated 782 hectares (1,932.4 acre) on June 17, 1783 for the construction of a church and land for Spanish families. Today this area is the neighbourhood of San Luis.
Battle of Cúcuta
Battle of Cúcuta
The Battle of Cúcuta was a battle fought in the Independence of Colombia on February 28, 1813. It was an important symbolic victory that greatly increased the morale of Bolivar's army and aided them in their fight against the Spanish in Venezuela....
was one of the most important events of the Spanish American wars of independence, due to its role in the independence of Colombia and Venezuela. This battle was the beginning of the Admirable Campaign
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the independentists...
of Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
. On February 28, 1813, the Bolivar captured the city after a battle that lasted from 9:00 a.m. until noon. About 400 men led by Bolivar fought 800 troops led by the Spanish general Ramon Correa. Two Colombian soldiers were killed and 14 injured; on the opposing side, 20 Spanish forces were killed and 40 injured. The victory freed the city of Cúcuta and started the Admirable Campaign
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the independentists...
.
Colonel Simón Bolívar then launched a major offensive against the Spanish forces who were on the east bank of the Magdalena River and quickly achieved resounding victories that carried him to undertake a journey to liberate the Valleys of Cúcuta held by the command of royalist Colonel Ramon Correa.
Congress of Cúcuta
On August 30, 1821 the Congress of CúcutaCongress of Cúcuta
The Congress of Cúcuta was a constituent assembly where Gran Colombia was created. The Congress elected Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander president and vice-president, respectively....
took place at the town of Villa del Rosario (today part of Cucuta) in the church known today as the "Historic Temple of Cúcuta". The congress was established by Antonio Nariño and participants included Francisco de Paula Santander
Francisco de Paula Santander
Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña , was a Colombian military and political leader during the 1810–1819 independence war of the United Provinces of New Granada...
, Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, and other leaders of Spanish America's struggle for independence from Spain.
The main objective of this congress was to unify the nations of the New Granada (Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
) and Venezuela and thus create a huge state to be known as the Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
). Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
subsequently joined Gran Colombia.
At 11 am on October 3, 1821,Simón Bolívar entered the meeting room in the sacristy of the church. He took a seat next to the president of Congress and was sworn in as president of the fledgling Republic of Colombia.
Earthquake of Cúcuta
On 18 May 1875, Cúcuta was largely destroyed by the earthquake of Cúcuta, also known as the "Earthquake of the Andes". The earthquake occurred at 11:15 a.m.; it destroyed Villa del Rosario, San Antonio del TachiraSan Antonio del Tachira
San Antonio del Táchira is a city in the Venezuelan Andean state of Táchira. The busy highway linking the cities of Cúcuta, Colombia, and San Cristóbal, Venezuela, passes through San Antonio del Táchira, making it an important gateway between the two nations...
and Capacho, seriously damaged the Venezuelan settlements of San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal, Táchira
San Cristóbal is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western Venezuela. The city is situated 818 m/2,625 ft above sea level in the northern Andes overlooking the Torbes River, 56 km/35 mi from the Colombian border. San...
, La Mulata, Rubio, Michelena, La Grita and Colón (among others), and was felt in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
and Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
.
Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the city. The railroad had four branches: North, East, South and West. The North branch was constructed from 1878 to 1888, and connected Cúcuta with Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
and Venezuela. Construction of the Eastern and Southern branches began in 1878; the South branch linked with Pamplona, Colombia
Pamplona, Colombia
Pamplona is a municipality and city in Norte de Santander, Colombia.-Colonization:Nueva Pamplona del Valle del Espíritu Santo, the name by which Don Pedro de Ursúa and Don Ortún Velasco de Velázquez paid tribute to the capital of the province of Navarre in Spain, was founded on 1 November 1549...
, and ended in El Diamante. The West branch was not built owing to economic problems. The railroad company
Railway company
A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
fell into bankruptcy and was closed in 1960.
The population of the city's metropolitan area was 59,323 in 1939, 532,564 in 1990, and 950,000 in 2005.
Many of the city's historic buildings lie within the Park of Greater Colombia, including the House of Santander
House of Santander
The House of Santander is the place where the hero of the Colombian independence Francisco de Paula Santander lived his first 13 years.It's in the locality of Villa del Rosario , in the 6th km of the International Highway to Venezuela....
, the historic church, and the historic tamarind. All these are well preserved.
Geography
The city is in the eastern part of the DepartmentDepartments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of North Santander, in the Cordillera Oriental
Cordillera Oriental, Colombia
The Cordillera Oriental is one of three main mountain ranges that divides the Cordillera in the Andes Mountains of Colombia.It extends from southeast to northeast from the "Colombian Massif" in Huila to the Perijá Mountains in La Guajira....
, close to the border with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. The city's area is 1,176 km², or 5.65% of the area of North Santander. The elevation is 320 metres (1,050 ft) above sea-level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
.
Rivers in Cúcuta and Norte de Santander include the Pamplonita River
Pamplonita River
The Pamplonita River is the main river of the Colombian city of Cúcuta and one of the most important of the Norte de Santander Department.The pamplonita river was used to transport cacao, the main form of wealth in the region and a major axis of the economy during the 18th and 19th centuries.It...
, Guaramito River, San Miguel River
San Miguel River (Colorado)
The San Miguel River is a tributary of the Dolores River, approximately 90 mi long in southwestern Colorado in the United States...
and Zulia River
Zulia River
Zulia River is a river in Venezuela and Colombia. It is a tributary of the Catatumbo River. The Zulia forms a small part of the international boundary between the two countries....
.
The Pamplonita River crosses the Norte de Santander Department.
Climate
Cúcuta has a tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
. The mean temperature is 28.0 °C; high temperatures are around 35 °C. There is a sharp contrast between the wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
and the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. The driest months are December, January, February and March; the wettest are April, May, September, October and November. June and July usually have significant precipitation, whereas August is sunny and windy. The annual precipitation is around 1,041 mm.
Layout
Cúcuta's streets are organized in a gridGrid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
layout adopted from Spain in colonial times. Calles (streets) traverse from east to west, perpendicular to the hills, and numbering increases to the north and to the south from Calle 1. Avenidas (avenues) traverse from south to north, parallel to the hills, and numbering increases both east to west, and west to east from a central avenida numbered 0 (Avenida Cero, one of the city's most important avenues). From west to east, avenues are numbered with an E added to their number, as to denote East (este) .
More than 300 neighborhoods form the urban network. Affluent neighborhoods are primarily situated in the north and north-east; poorer ones are in the south and south-east, many of them squatter areas. The middle class lives mostly in the central, west and northwest areas.
Flag
The red and black North Santander Department flag was exhibited for the first time in 1928, when the first National Olympics were held in CaliCalì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
. However, the flag of Cúcuta was not legalized until Mayor Carlos A. Rangel issued Decree 106 on May 3, 1988.
Seal
The shield of Cúcuta was adopted in 1958 by Decree 032 on February 3, 1958, after a request by the History Academy of North Santander. The shield is a classic shape, and carries the title conferred to the city by Royal Decree of the Emperor Carlos IV: Very noble, valiant and loyal Village of San José of Cúcuta.The upper part depicts the weapons of the city's founder Juana Rangel of Cuéllar, who donated lands for the foundation of the city on June 17, 1733. They are five silver and red fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
in the shape of reels, on a golden background.
The lower part of the shield displays the weapons that the National Congress adopted for Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
by the Law of October 6, 1821, at its meeting in the Villa del Rosario
Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander
Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
. In the center are a quiver of spears, marked with X's, and a set of bow and arrows, tied with tricolor tape. The spears represent attributes of the Roman consuls; the X is a symbol of the right of life or death; the bow and arrows are symbols of the Hispanic Indu race.
Anthem
The Anthem of Cúcuta was legalized by means of Decree 039 of February 8, 1984, by Mayor Luis Vicente Mountain Forest. The lyrics were written by Father Manuel Grillo Martínez, and the music by the master Pablo Tarazona Prada. It was chosen as the Anthem of Cúcuta by a unanimous vote in a contest held in the Theater Zulima.Population
Cúcuta has undergone a large demographic growth, having 387,481 inhabitants in 1951 and now, 1,196,775. It is the sixth most populous city in Colombia. The metropolitan area, which includes the municipalities of Villa del RosarioVilla del Rosario, Norte de Santander
Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
, Los Patios
Los Patios
Los Patios is a municipality and town in the Department of Norte de Santander, northeastern Colombia. Has a population of some 58,851 inhabitants. -History:The history of this community begins in the 17th century...
, El Zulia
El Zulia
El Zulia is a municipality of the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. A portion of this municipality is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta.-References:...
, San Cayetano
San Cayetano, Norte de Santander
San Cayetano is a municipality and town in the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. Part of its area pertains to the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta....
and Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
, has a combined population of more than 1.1 million people. It is the largest metropolitan area in eastern Colombia and sixth in Colombia behind Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
and Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
.
As of the census of 2005, there were 1,196,755 people and 187,041 households in the city. The population density was 2,000/km², making Cúcuta one of the more densely-populated cities in the east of the country.
People
- Francisco de Paula SantanderFrancisco de Paula SantanderFrancisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña , was a Colombian military and political leader during the 1810–1819 independence war of the United Provinces of New Granada...
, the first President of ColombiaPresident of ColombiaThe President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
, known as "the man of the laws". - Virgilio Barco, a former president of Colombia.
- Fabiola ZuluagaFabiola ZuluagaFabiola Zuluaga was a professional tennis player from Colombia. She retired on 9 September 2005. She reached the Australian Open Semifinals in 2004 and became the first Colombian tennis player to reach a Grand Slam semifinal. She is one of the best tennis player that Colombia has had .- External...
, the most successful Colombian tennis player - Actors such as Lincoln PalomequeLincoln PalomequeLincoln Eduardo Palomeque Sandoval is an actor. He is from Cúcuta, Colombia.-Filmography:*"La Bella Ceci y el Imprudente es Juan Antonio Durán" *"La Diosa Coronada "...
, Endry CarreñoEndry CarreñoEndry Cardeño is a transsexual actress from Cúcuta, Colombia. Born in 1976, she has acted in several Colombian soap operas. Her most recent role was in the highly rated RCN TV telenovela, "Los Reyes" . Endry also played the lead role in the 2009 Venezuelan film "Cheila, Una Casa Pa'...
, Rafael García HerrerosRafael García HerrerosRafael García Herreros . Eudist man in holy orders. He was Colombian. Founder of the Minuto de Dios organization....
(the founder of Minuto de DiosMinuto de DiosMinuto de Dios is a Colombian non-profit spirit organization of Catholic religious origin founded by Rafael García Herreros. In 1950, García Herreros initiated in Colombia a daily, minute-long radio program under the name The Minute of God. The program went on national television in 1955 and as...
) - Elias M. SotoElías M. SotoElias Mauricio Soto played siren, bugle, trombón and tuba, piano, guitar and organ in several bands...
, a classic musician. - Marino Vargas Villalta, civic leader and businessman. During the fifities and sixties, he was also the president of the popular and successful local soccer team, the Cúcuta DeportivoCúcuta DeportivoCorporación Nuevo Cúcuta Deportivo is a football club based in the city of Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia. The club was officially founded on September 10, 1924 and plays its home games at the General Santander Stadium, which has a capacity of 45,000....
. - Alberto VillamizarAlberto VillamizarLuis Alberto Villamizar Cárdenas was a Colombian politician and diplomat. He is best known for his role in fighting the Medellín drug cartel.- Early life :...
, a former congressman and ambassador to IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Colombia's first kidnappings czar and leading political figure of the Nuevo liberalismo (New Liberalism) movement of Luis Carlos GalanLuis Carlos GalánLuis Carlos Galán Sarmiento was a Colombian journalist and liberal politician who ran for the presidency of Colombia on two occasions, the first time representing the Liberal Party in 1982 which he lost to Belisario Betancur...
.
Government
Ramiro Suárez Corzo
Ramiro Suárez Corzo is a Colombian politician. Former Mayor of the Colombian city of Cúcuta, Norte de Santander.-Early life:...
, who has occupied the position since January 2004 (elected by a majority of 62.06%). He represents the movement Colombia Viva.
Cúcuta is the capital of Norte de Santander Department, and houses the Department Hall and the City Hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta is a Colombian metropolitan area located in the eastern section of the Norte de Santander department bordering with Venezuela.. Its main city is Cúcuta...
along with the Francisco de Paula Santander Justice Palace. The Principal Mayor and Urban Council, both elected by popular vote, are responsible for city administration.
The city divided into 10 localities (comunas). The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta
The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta is a Colombian metropolitan area located in the eastern section of the Norte de Santander department bordering with Venezuela.. Its main city is Cúcuta...
is formed by Cúcuta (as the main city), Villa del Rosario
Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander
Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and town located in the eastern part of the North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta...
, Los Patios
Los Patios
Los Patios is a municipality and town in the Department of Norte de Santander, northeastern Colombia. Has a population of some 58,851 inhabitants. -History:The history of this community begins in the 17th century...
, San Cayetano, El Zulia
El Zulia
El Zulia is a municipality of the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. A portion of this municipality is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta.-References:...
and Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander
Puerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
.
Politics in Cúcuta are not defined by a single political movement
Political movement
A political movement is a social movement in the area of politics. A political movement may be organized around a single issue or set of issues, or around a set of shared concerns of a social group...
. Past rivals included the Partido Liberal Colombiano and the Colombian Conservative Party
Colombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
. Today the political landscape is shared by many political parties, none commanding majority support.
Economy
The economy of Cúcuta is the sixth largest of the country, preceded by cities like: CartagenaCartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, and Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. Cúcuta's economy is based primarily in industry and agriculture. The "zone franca" is the most active of Colombia due to its proximity to Venezuela (the second commercial partner of Colombia). The industry of the city is focused on mining, the production of milk, and the cement and construction material production.
Smuggling operations are also common in the Cúcuta region.
US–Colombia Free Trade Agreement implications for Cúcuta
Colombia signed a Free Trade AgreementFree trade area
A free trade area is a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free trade agreement , which eliminates tariffs, import quotas, and preferences on most goods and services traded between them. If people are also free to move between the countries, in addition to FTA, it would also be...
with the United States amidst opposition by Venezuela. Despite this opposition, industries from Venezuela are constructing their infrastructure in Cúcuta to export their products to the United States, registering their products as if they were Colombian, a strategy that would allow them to export without paying certain tariffs. For that reason, Cúcuta is expected to become an industrial city.
Colombian law provides tax exemptions for Venezuelan imports through the Zona Franca, which, coupled with the motorway links between Cúcuta and Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, increases the possibility of exports from Maracaibo into Colombia.
Telecommunications
The city's telecommunications services include payphonePayphone
A payphone or pay phone is a public telephone, often located in a phone booth or a privacy hood, with pre-payment by inserting money , a credit or debit card, or a telephone card....
s, WiMAX
WiMAX
WiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
wireless networks, and mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
networks (GSM, CDMA and TDMA
Digital AMPS
IS-54 and IS-136 are second-generation mobile phone systems, known as Digital AMPS . It was once prevalent throughout the Americas, particularly in the United States and Canada. D-AMPS is considered end-of-life, and existing networks have mostly been replaced by GSM/GPRS or CDMA2000...
).
Telecom Colombia
Telecom Colombia
Telefónica Telecom is the largest telecommunications company in Colombia. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C.....
offers the service of local, national and international telephone and broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
ADSL Internet. There are three mobile telephone operators: Comcel
Comcel
Comcel may refer to:*Comcel Colombia, a Colombian mobile phone operator*Comcel Haiti, a Haitian mobile phone operator that operates a TDMA network in Haiti...
, Movistar
Movistar
Movistar is a major Spanish mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica Móviles. It operates in Spain and in many Latin American countries. It is the largest carrier in Spain with 22 million customers and 41.58% of market share. Its principal competitor in Latin America is America Movil...
and Tigo.
Transport
Public transportation in the Metropolitan Area of CúcutaMetropolitan Area of Cúcuta
The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta is a Colombian metropolitan area located in the eastern section of the Norte de Santander department bordering with Venezuela.. Its main city is Cúcuta...
includes the Metrobus system.
For travel outside the city, there is a bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
called "Terminal de Transportes" (to be replaced by a new one), the Camilo Daza International Airport
Camilo Daza International Airport
Camilo Daza International Airport is a civil airport located in Cúcuta, Colombia. The airport serves the Norte de Santander Department . The airport contains international facilities and is able to operate general aviation flights to international destinations.This air terminal is located 5 km...
(Colombia) and the San Antonio Airport (Venezuela). Eighty years ago the city had the "Railroad of Cúcuta", which connected with Venezuela.
The highway to Bucaramanga
Bucaramanga
Bucaramanga is a Colombian city, and capital city of the department of Santander, Colombia. Bucaramanga has the fifth largest city economy and sixth largest population in Colombia, with 1,212,656 people in its metropolitan area...
(renovated in January 2007) connects Cúcuta with Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Medellín and Cali
Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
. The highway to Ocaña
Ocaña, Colombia
Ocaña is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Norte de Santander. Ocaña is the second largest populated center of this department. It played an important role during the Independence of Colombia from the Spanish monarchy.-History:...
connects the city with Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
and Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
; the highway to San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal, Táchira
San Cristóbal is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western Venezuela. The city is situated 818 m/2,625 ft above sea level in the northern Andes overlooking the Torbes River, 56 km/35 mi from the Colombian border. San...
with Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
.
Distances to other cities
Cities of Colombia
| Cities of Venezuela
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Bridges
The city has many bridges:- San Rafael BridgeRichmond-San Rafael BridgeThe Richmond – San Rafael Bridge is the northernmost of the east–west crossings of the San Francisco Bay in California, USA, connecting Richmond on the east to San Rafael on the west end...
– official name is "Benito Hernández Bustos". - Francisco de Paula Andrade Troconis Bridge – the prolongation of the Av. 0, connecting the city with the municipality of Los PatiosLos PatiosLos Patios is a municipality and town in the Department of Norte de Santander, northeastern Colombia. Has a population of some 58,851 inhabitants. -History:The history of this community begins in the 17th century...
. - Elías M. SotoElías M. SotoElias Mauricio Soto played siren, bugle, trombón and tuba, piano, guitar and organ in several bands...
Bridge – rebuilt and extended to 6 rails. - San LuísLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
Bridge – imported from England. - Rafael García HerrerosRafael García HerrerosRafael García Herreros . Eudist man in holy orders. He was Colombian. Founder of the Minuto de Dios organization....
Bridge – part of the East Anilo Vial.
Six overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
es are under construction.
Education
The basic educationBasic education
Basic education refers to the whole range of educational activities taking place in various settings , that aim to meet basic learning needs. According to the International Standard Classification of Education , basic education comprises primary education and lower secondary education...
and the high school education are in Colombian "Calendar A" for schools (from February to November).
Schools
- Colegio Calasanz Cúcuta.
- Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
- Colegio Instituto Técnico Nacional de Comercio
- Colegio Salesiano
- Colegio La Salle
- Colegio Comfaoriente
- Colegio Santo Angel de la Guarda
- Colegio Santa Teresa
- Colegio Gimnasio Los Almendros
- Colegio Gimnasio Domingo Savio
- Colegio Carmen Teresiano
- Colegio Cardenal Sancha
- Colegio Instituto Tecnico Mercedes Abrego
- Instituto Bilingüe Londres
- Colegio Andino Bilingüe
Universities
State Universities- Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander
- Universidad de Pamplona
Private Universities
- Universidad Libre de Colombia
- Universidad de Santander
- Universidad Antonio NariñoAntonio NariñoAntonio de la Santísima Concepción Nariño y Álvarez was an ideological Colombian precursor and one of the early political and military leaders of the independence movement in the New Granada - Early political activity :Nariño was born to an aristocratic family...
- Universidad Simón Bolivar
Recent development
The city has recently undergone development at an historically unprecedented rate. This has included construction of six overpassOverpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
es, a convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
, a new bus terminal
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
, a new Integrated Massive Transportation System
Transport network
A transport network, or transportation network in American English, is typically a network of roads, streets, pipes, aqueducts, power lines, or nearly any structure which permits either vehicular movement or flow of some commodity....
called Metrobus, modernization of state owned schools, renewal of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
, and doubling the capacity of the General Santander Stadium.
New industries are expected to come from Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, which will place their factories in Cúcuta to export through the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement , is a bilateral free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia. Sometimes called the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, it was signed on November 22, 2006, by Deputy U.S...
between Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Monuments
The main monuments in the city are:- The monument of the Battle of CúcutaBattle of CúcutaThe Battle of Cúcuta was a battle fought in the Independence of Colombia on February 28, 1813. It was an important symbolic victory that greatly increased the morale of Bolivar's army and aided them in their fight against the Spanish in Venezuela....
- The monument of Juana Rangel de CuellarJuana Rangel de CuéllarJuana Rangel de Cuellar is the founder of the Colombian city of Cúcuta, located in the Norte de Santander Department....
, the founder of Cúcuta - The monument of Camilo DazaCamilo DazaCamilo Daza Álvarez was a Colombian aviator. He was born in Pamplona, Colombia. In 1919,/ he became the first Colombian to pilot an airplane, and is considered to be the founder of Colombian aviation...
, in the Camilo Daza International AirportCamilo Daza International AirportCamilo Daza International Airport is a civil airport located in Cúcuta, Colombia. The airport serves the Norte de Santander Department . The airport contains international facilities and is able to operate general aviation flights to international destinations.This air terminal is located 5 km...
.
Parks
The main parks in the city are:- Santander ParkSantander ParkThe Santander Park is the main park of the Colombian cities of Cúcuta and Bucaramanga, though there are other such parks in Bogotá and Neiva. The parks share a namesake with the Colombian departments Santander North and Santander, named in honor of the highly respected hero of Colombian...
(in Spanish, Parque Santander), the main park of the city located in front of the city hall. - Colón Park (in Spanish, Parkque Colón), constructed in honor of Cristobal Columbus (in Spanish, Cristobal Colón).
- Simón Bolivar Park (in Spanish, Parque Simón Bolivar), constructed in honor of Simón Bolivar and donated by the Consulate of Venezuela in Cúcuta.
Greenery
Cúcuta has more green zones than many other cities in Colombia. Some consider it an urban lung, due to its many trees and lack of pollution. The greenery is thanks to gifts by prominent Cucuteños, and the legion of foreigners who reconstructed the city after the 1875 earthquake, led by engineer Francisco de Paula Andrade Troconis. The first planted trees were clemones. Soon they were replaced by acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
s, peracos and almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
trees that adorned the parks and roadsides. An example of this city design is the Avenue of the Lights (based on oití, ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
and cují), that forms a natural tunnel admired in the rest of the country and by tourists.
Palm trees
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
are common in places such as Santander Park, Great Colombian Park, the Bank of the Republic and the Department Hall of Norte de Santander.
External links
GovernmentHealth
Mass media
- Cúcuta a moder city
- Newspaper La Opinion
- Asi Es Cucuta - Noticias de Cucuta
- Cúcuta Nuestra
- EnCúcuta
- Cúcuta Linda
Universities