Santa Marta Province, Colonial administrative province in northern Nueva Granada, Colombia.
Santa Marta Province was an administrative territory in northern New Granada that extended from the Caribbean coast into the Sierra Nevada foothills. The region included the Magdalena River delta area and served as a key administrative zone for Spanish colonial rule.
The province was founded in 1535 under Spanish rule and remained an important administrative center for over three centuries. It was dissolved in 1857 when it merged with Riohacha Province.
The province administration maintained records of population changes, documenting 39,942 inhabitants in 1789 and 36,485 residents by 1851.
The territory was difficult to traverse due to dense forests and mountainous terrain limiting connections. Administration relied on coastal ports to transport goods and people.
The region was known for its resource diversity, offering both rich fishing grounds along the coast and gold deposits in the mountains. This combination made it one of the wealthier administrative centers in the colony.
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