Bolívar Department, Caribbean administrative region in northern Colombia.
Bolívar Department stretches along the Caribbean coast and Magdalena River in northern Colombia, covering approximately 26,000 square kilometers. The region contains several provinces with numerous municipalities, with Cartagena being the most prominent and largest city.
The department emerged from the Federal State of Bolívar, which was established in 1857 as a territorial organization. Its borders have shifted over time as neighboring areas separated to form their own departments.
Spanish is spoken with local variations, and celebrations like the Feria de la Candelaria feature traditional music and dance throughout the region. Local dishes such as sancocho and ajiaco reflect the daily food culture shaped by the area's mixed heritage.
Visitors should plan their trip between December and March when rainfall is lighter and coastal conditions are more favorable. Most attractions cluster around Cartagena, though short excursions to other coastal towns and nearby areas are easily accessible.
Near María la Baja and Sincerín are archaeological sites with remains of maloka structures from the Puerto Hormiga culture, dating back thousands of years before Spanish arrival. These early settlements reveal that the area was occupied and organized long before European contact.
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