Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra | |
|---|---|
City and municipality | |
View of the city from Plaza 24 de Septiembre Government House House of Culture Cristo Redentor Municipal City Hall Equipetrol neighborhood | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
| Nickname(s): La Capital del Oriente Boliviano (The Capital of the Eastern Bolivia) La Ciudad de los Anillos (The City of Rings) | |
| Motto: | |
Santa Cruz de la Sierra Location within Bolivia Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (South America) Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Earth) | |
| Coordinates: 17°48′S 63°11′W / 17.800°S 63.183°W | |
| Country | Bolivia |
| Department | Santa Cruz |
| Province | Andrés Ibáñez |
| Founded | February 26, 1561 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Autonomous Government |
| • Mayor | Jhonny Fernández |
| Area | |
• City and municipality | 1,345 km2 (519 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 400 m (1,300 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• City and municipality | 1,606,671 |
| • Rank | 1st in Bolivia |
| • Density | 1,195/km2 (3,094/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,786,386 |
| • Metro | 1,891,000 |
| GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) | |
| • Year | 2023 |
| • Total | $23.3 billion |
| • Per capita | $12,800 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (BOT) |
| Area code | (+591) 3 |
| HDI (2016) | 0.827 Very High |
| Website | www |
Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Spanish: [ˈsanta ˈkɾus ðe la ˈsjera]; lit. 'Holy Cross of the Mountain Range'), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz department.
Situated on the Pirai River in the eastern Tropical Lowlands of Bolivia, the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Metropolitan Region is the most populous urban agglomeration in Bolivia with an estimated population of 2.4 million in 2020. It is formed out of a conurbation of seven Santa Cruz municipalities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Guardia, Warnes, Cotoca, El Torno, Porongo, and Montero.
The city was first founded in 1561 by Spanish explorer Ñuflo de Chavez about 200 km (124 mi) east of its current location, and was moved several times until it was finally established on the Pirai River in the late 16th century. For much of its history, Santa Cruz was mostly a small outpost town, and even after Bolivia gained its independence in 1825 there was little attention from the authorities or the population in general to settle the region. It was not until after the middle of the 20th century with profound agrarian and land reforms that the city began to grow at a very fast pace. Due to its low elevation at the foothills of the Andes and being situated in the Amazon basin, the city has a tropical climate unlike the other main metro area of La Paz that is thousands of meters higher in terms of elevation.
Santa Cruz is Bolivia's most populous city, produces nearly 35% of Bolivia's gross domestic product, and receives over 40% of all foreign direct investment in the country. The city is the most important business center in Bolivia and the country's principal destination for national and international migrants.