Santiago de Cali, with a population of about 2.3 million inhabitants, is located in the south-west of the country, a few hundred kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, in the Cauca river valley, one of the richest sources of food supplies in Latin America. Its privileged characteristics of soil and climate make the Cauca Valley one of the most efficient areas in the world for the production of sugar cane. In contrast to its agricultural traditions, it is a region that also enjoys a pronounced urban culture and life-style.

Cali is a city with a tropical climate, fanned by breezes from the Pacific coast and the mountains that surround it, with cheerful and friendly people. It is a prosperous city, with a rich cultural heritage and impressive industrial development. Its geographical location and its own rate of progress have made it the focal point of Colombia’s links with the Pacific Ocean basin.

Colombia

Strategically placed between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the extreme north-west of South America, Colombia has a privileged biodiversity, and a multi-ethnic population of approximately 44 million people, bestowing it with an enormous cultural wealth. It is the fourth largest country in South America in terms of land area. Its economy is based on agriculture and the export of primary goods, raw materials and light engineering and hydrocarbons.