Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena (/ˌkɑːrtəˈheɪnə/ KAR-tə-HAY-nə), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (Spanish: [kaɾtaˈxena ðe ˈindjas] ), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean sea. Cartagena's past role as a link in the route to the West Indies provides it with important historical value for world exploration and preservation of heritage from the great commercial maritime routes.[5] As a former Spanish colony, it was a key port for the export of Bolivian silver to Spain and for the import of enslaved Africans under the asiento system. It was defensible against pirate attacks in the Caribbean.[6] The city's strategic location between the Magdalena and Sinú Rivers also gave it easy access to the interior of New Granada and made it a main port for trade between Spain and its overseas empire, establishing its importance by the early 1540s.
For the Spanish city, see Cartagena, Spain.
Cartagena
1 June 1533
Cartagena, Spain
William Jorge Dau Chamat[1]
83.2 km2 (32.1 sq mi)
597.7 km2 (230.8 sq mi)
2 m (7 ft)
914,552
11,000/km2 (28,000/sq mi)
1,028,736[2]
1,721/km2 (4,460/sq mi)
Cartagenero(s) (in Spanish)
2023
$17.1 billion[4]
$15,600
57 + 5
30 °C (86 °F)
www
Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena
Cultural
iv, vi
1984 (8th session)
Modern Cartagena is the capital of the Bolívar Department, and had a population of 876,885 according to the 2018 census,[7] making it the second-largest city in the Caribbean region, after Barranquilla, and the fifth-largest city in Colombia. The metropolitan area of Cartagena is the sixth-largest urban area in the country, after metropolitan area of Bucaramanga. Economic activities include the maritime and petrochemical industries, as well as tourism.
The present city – named after Cartagena, Spain and by extension, the historic city of Carthage – was founded on 1 June 1533, making it one of South America’s oldest colonial cities;[8] but settlement by various indigenous people in the region around Cartagena Bay dates from 4000 BC. During the Spanish colonial period Cartagena had a key role in administration and expansion of the Spanish empire. It was a center of political, ecclesiastical, and economic activity.[9] In 1984, Cartagena's colonial walled city and fortress were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was also the site of the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741 during the War of Jenkins' Ear between Spain and Britain.
Infrastructure[edit]
Transportation[edit]
As the commercial and touristic hub of the country, the city has many transportation facilities, particularly in the seaport, air, and fluvial areas.
In 2003,[76] the city started building Transcaribe, a mass transit system. In 2015 the system began operating in the city. Taxis are also a prevalent form of public transportation and there is a bus terminal connecting the city to other cities along the coast and in Colombia.[77]
Cartagena has problems of traffic congestion.[78]