Cúcuta

Cúcuta

Full name San José de Cúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan 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 2011 census it has a population of 1,158,672, which ranks it as the 5th largest city in the country. The Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta (conformed by other 6 municipalities) has a population of 1,698,187 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.