Santa Marta

Santa Marta
District and city
Panoramic of Santa Marta Bay
Arrecife shopping center
Santa Marta's city hall
Santa Marta Theatre
Simón Bolivar equestrian statue
Nickname: 
America's Pearl (La Perla de America)
Location in the Department of Magdalena
Municipality (red)
City (darker red)
Santa Marta
Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 11°14′31″N 74°12′19″W / 11.24194°N 74.20528°W / 11.24194; -74.20528
Country Colombia
RegionCaribbean Region
DepartmentMagdalena
FoundationJuly 29, 1525
Founded byRodrigo de Bastidas
Named afterMartha
Government
 • MayorCarlos Alberto Pinedo Cuello (2024–2027) (Movimiento Santa Marta Si Puede)
Area
 • District and city
2,393.65 km2 (924.19 sq mi)
 • Urban
55.10 km2 (21.27 sq mi)
Elevation
15 m (49 ft)
Population
 (2018 Census)
 • District and city
566,150
 • Density236.52/km2 (612.59/sq mi)
 DANE
Demonym(s)Samario, -a
Time zoneUTC-05:00 (Colombia Time)
Postal codes
470001–470017
Area code57 + 5
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Santa Marta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˌsanta ˈmaɾta]), officially the Distrito Turístico, Cultural e Histórico de Santa Marta (English: Historic, Cultural & Tourist District of Santa Marta), is a port city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in northern Colombia. It is the capital of Magdalena Department and the fourth-largest urban city of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, after Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Soledad. Founded on July 29, 1525, by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, it was one of the first Spanish settlements in Colombia, its oldest surviving city, and second-oldest in South America. This city is situated on a bay by the same name and as such, it is a prime tourist destination in the Caribbean region.