Bogotá is the capital of Colombia, one of South America’s largest cities.
The city stands on a high plateau called the Bogotá savanna in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes. Spanish colonists founded it in 1538 near the site of the Muisca settlement of Bacatá, whose name influenced the modern name Bogotá.
Bogotá became the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada and remained Colombia’s political center after independence. It is also the country’s main cultural, educational, and economic hub.
A common mix-up is choosing Cartagena, Colombia’s famous Caribbean port, or Medellín, the capital of Antioquia Department. Bogotá is inland and sits at an elevation of about 2,640 meters, making it one of the world’s highest national capitals.