Santiago of Cali is one of the most important cities in Latin America. It is the third most populated city in Colombia with 2 million inhabitants (2005). In addition it is the capital of the Valle, Cauca Departament.

The city combines modern construction with historical buildings. It has centuries of history, and is one of the main economic and industrial centres of Colombia with great comercial and political power.

Cali is one of the older cities of European foundation in the continent. On July 25th, 1536 it became one of the first cities in the region.

Geographically, Cali is located 1000m above sea level. Situated in the Cauca River Valley, one of the most famous valleys in the Andes Mountains. The city presents a play-surface, completly surrounded by a great number of hills and jungla vegetation that makes Santiago of Cali a very colorful city. The hills reach 2000m in the north of the city while in the south, the altitude is doubled, to 4000m.

The city’s weather is tropical ecuatorial linces the Colombian Andes Mountains block the humid air fronts that can arrive from the Pacific Ocean preventing that these refresh the city of Cali. The average temperatura in the city goes up to around 26o centigrade.

As far as economy, the city is one of the main axes of Colombia where their location privileged in respect to the more important Colombian seaport and to the Panama Chanal.

Historically the region was characterized by being strong in the farming production, but the industrial revolution also came to Cali and presently, big multinacional companies make their base in Santiago, Cali.