Metropolitan areas of Colombia

Metropolitan Areas in Colombia are officially designated administrative and census areas, composed of an urban center and its associated Municipalities.

Metropolitan Areas in Colombia

Description

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The following criteria must be met for a group of communities to be designated a Metropolitan Area:

  • Each one of the Municipalities, the secondary cities as well as the central city, must have a population of at least 50,000 inhabitants.
  • The secondary cities must integrate their city planning with that of the central city.
  • At least two-thirds of those employed in the area must perform non-rural activities.
  • Each of the secondary cities must have at least 10% of their workers employed in the central city.

Commuting to work is, in fact, the major characteristic of a Metropolitan Area. As a result, the secondary cities are often called "dormitory cities"; meaning places where the inhabitants only go home to sleep.

An important function of the Metropolitan Areas is to provide for joint planning between the Municipalities, thereby managing ordered and proportional economic growth according to the necessities of the area and the physical characteristics of each Municipality.

Metropolitan Areas

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The following are currently (2007) recognized by the Colombian government:

Metropolitan Area Status Conurbation municipalities Population (2018 estimate)
Greater Bogotá Officially the Metropolitan Region Bogota - Cundinamarca Bogotá, Soacha, Mosquera, Funza, Madrid, Chía, Cajicá, La Calera, Sopó, Tenjo, Tabio, Sibaté, Zipaquirá, and Facatativá 9,498,470
Greater Medellín Officially the Metropolitan Area of Aburrá Valley Medellín, Bello, Barbosa, Copacabana, La Estrella, Girardota, Itagüí, Envigado, Caldas,Rionegro and Sabaneta 4,035,922
Greater Cali Not yet defined officially Cali, Palmira, Yumbo, Jamundí, Vijes and Florida 3,079,074
Greater Barranquilla Created by Decree 28 of 1981 Barranquilla, Puerto Colombia, Soledad, Galapa and Malambo 2,098,966
Greater Cartagena de Indias Not yet defined officially Cartagena de Indias, Turbaco, Turbana, Clemencia, Santa Catalina, Santa Rosa and Villanueva 1,197,656
Greater Bucaramanga Created by Decree 20 of 1981 Bucaramanga, Floridablanca , Piedecuesta y Girón 1,150,993
Greater Cúcuta Created by Decree 000508 of 1991 Cúcuta, Villa del Rosario, Los Patios and El Zulia 866,633
Greater Pereira Created by Decree 014 of 1991 Pereira, Dosquebradas, La Virginia, Santa Rosa de Cabal 786,476
Greater Valledupar Created in 2005 Valledupar, Codazzi, La Paz, Manaure and San Diego 584,682
Greater Armenia Not yet defined officially Armenia, Calarcá, Circasia, La Tebaida, Montenegro and Salento 504,722
Greater Girardot Not yet defined officially Girardot, Ricaurte (Cundinamarca) and Flandes (Tolima) 146,039
Greater Ibagué Not yet defined officially Ibagué, Cajamarca, Alvarado, Coello and Piedras 613,370
Greater Ipiales Not yet defined officially Ipiales, Pupiales, Carlosama, Aldana 173,773
Greater Manizales Not yet defined officially Manizales, Neira, Chinchiná, Villamaríanota and Palestina 559,433
Greater Montería Not yet defined officially Montería, Cereté, San Carlos, Ciénaga de Oro and San Pelayo 694,937
Greater Neiva Not yet defined officially Neiva, Rivera, Palermo, Tello, Campoalegre, Baraya, Aipe and Villavieja 461,479
Greater Santa Marta Not yet defined officially Santa Marta, Pueblo Viejo and Ciénaga 645,007
Greater Popayán Not yet defined officially Popayán, El Tambo, Timbío, and Piendamó 413,210
Greater Sincelejo Not yet defined officially Sincelejo, Corozal, Morroa, Los Palmitos and Sampués 422,906
Greater Tunja Not yet defined officially Tunja, Sora, Soracá, Siachoque, Toca, Tuta, Sotaquirá, Cómbita, Motavita, Oicatá, Chivatá, Cucaita, Samacá and Ventaquemada 294,918
Greater Villavicencio Not yet defined officially Villavicencio, Acacías, Guamal, Restrepo and Cumaral 629,029
Greater Sogamoso Not yet defined officially Sogamoso, Duitama, Paipa, Nobsa, Tibasosa, Santa rosa de Viterbo, Firavitoba and Iza 309,922


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