GENERAL ASPECTS
The department of South Santander has its current conformation from 1910, date in which it was separated from the territory of the department of North Santander. It takes its name in honor to the hero Francisco de Paula Santander and its capital is Bucaramanga.

ASTRONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION
The santanderean territory is located between the 5°42' and 8°08' of north latitude, 72°26' and 74° 32' of length to the west of the meridian of Greenwich, i. e., it is located in the intertropical or low latitudes zone. This location determines the following characteristics:

* It remains the whole year exposed to the solar light, i. e., receives permanent sunstroke.
* The days and the nights have twelve hours of duration.
* There are not climatic stations. The average oscillations of temperatures are minimal in a year, and they are better perceptible daily.

Geographical location and consequences

The department of Santander is located in the North-East of Colombia and makes part of the Andean Region, its territory is located in the western slope of the Oriental mountain chain, from its top up to the river Magdalena in its middle part. This location gives to the department special characteristics, such as:

* To have direct access to the most important fluvial route of the country (river Magdalena), that allows it permanent communication with the north coast and with some internal departments.
* Because of its position on the Oriental mountain chain, it possesses all the thermal floors, from the hot one up to the high plateau; varied climates and certainly diverse biogeographical zones.

EXTENSION AND LIMITS

The department of Santander has a surface of 30.537 km² distributed in 86 municipalities. Their neighbors departments are Cesar (north), Santander North (north), Boyacá (southeast), Antioquia and Bolivar (west).

Historical evolution

The first colonial divisions during the Colony - The territory of South Santander was a part of the New Kingdom of Grenade and of The New Andalucía

In 1564, its territory was part of the Presidency of Santa Fé de Bogotá, later during the vice-kingdomness of Santa Fé de Bogotá and Venezuela in 1810, South Santander was formed by a part of the "corregimientos" of Pamplona and El Socorro.

HISTORICAL CONFORMATION OF THE TERRITORY

In 1819, when the republican epoch is born, the "fundamental Law" declared in Santo Tomás de Angostura, determined the establishment of three big Departments: Cundinamarca (which included Santander), Quito and Venezuela. In 1824, the whole territory of the Great Colombia was divided into 12 departments. Boyacá included in its territory the current department of Santander.

POLITICAL - ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION

The administrative unit of Colombia is the municipality. The department of South Santander has at present 86 municipalities, three of which were created in 1980 but their limits have not been established yet (see map). The municipalities of the department are:

Aguada - Albania - Aratoca - Barbosa - Barichara - Barrancabermeja - Betulia - Bolivar - BUCARAMANGA (capitol) - Cabrera - Capitanejo - Carcasi - Cepitá - Cerrito - Cimitarra - Concepción - Confines - Contratación - Coromoro - Curiti - Charalá - Charta - Chima - Chipatá - El Carmen - El Guacamayo - El Playón - Encino - Enciso - Florián - Floridablanca - Galán - Gámbita - Girón - Guaca - Guadalupe - Guapotá - Guavatá - Guepsa - Hato - Jesus Maria - Jordán - La Belleza - La Paz - Landázuri - Lebrija - Los Santos - Macaravita - Malága - Matanza - Mogotes - Molagavita - Ocamonte - Oiba - Onzaga - Palmar - Palmas del Socorro - Páramo - Piedecuesta - Pinchote - Puente Nacional - Puerto Parra - Puerto Wilches - Rionegro - Sabana de Torres - San Andrés - San Benito - San Gil - San Joaquin - San José de Miranda - San Miguel - San Rafael - San Vicente de Chucuri - Santa Bárbara - Santa Helena del Opón - Simacota - Socorro - Suaita - Sucre - Suratá - Tona - Valle de San José - Vélez - Vetas - Villanueva - Zapatoca.

Click here to know about Bucaramanga, The capitol of South Santander.

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