[1] The city is the base of the Colombian Petroleum Institute (ICP),[5] the research branch of the state oil company Ecopetrol.

Bucaramanga was born as an indigenous town since the economic activity that occurred for the first time in the area was the extraction of gold from the alluvial deposits that predominated in the region, mainly due to what is known as the La Rosita ravine.

The region (although not the city itself) was devastated by the civil war of 1899–1902—commonly known as the Thousand Days War—causing Bucaramanga to grow only modestly in the first half of the 20th century.

Bucaramanga is located on a plateau in the Cordillera Oriental of the Colombian Andes, and many residents occupy unstable lands descending steeply from the meseta.

Eastbound, the Andean Range rises up in high peaks, reaching almost 3,700 metres (12,100 ft) AMSL in the place locally known as "Paramo de Berlin".

The city is slightly too dry for a tropical rainforest climate, as its driest month of December averages just under 67 mm (3 in) of rainfall.

In the red circle the following legend: "Below the azure of its sky and defended by the generous blood of its sons, Bucaramanga is opened to the four horizons of the motherland" is written.

According to the data obtained from the 2018 census and information provided by the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, the city has an estimated population of 681,130 inhabitants.

[7] The footwear sector has a major market nationally and internationally in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Italy, some Caribbean islands, United States, Peru, Venezuela and Mexico.

There are a growing number of technological research centers in various topics such as energy, gas, oil, corrosion, asphalt, leather and agro-industrial development tools, among others.

The Chimitá Industrial Zone is located in the western area of the plateau near the town of Girón; many companies from different specialties like Terpel have production plants there.

The city is planning to build the Zona Franca de Santander, a customs-free zone located within the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga.

A newer shopping center, Megamall, was built in 2007, where the first store of the French multinational retailer Carrefour opened in the city.

In the following years, three more shopping centers were built in other areas of the city: Cacique, Parque Caracolí, and De la Cuesta.

In these shopping centers, there are several movie theaters of major companies such as Cine Colombia, Cine Royal and Cinemark, clothing stores like Adidas, Levi's, and national brands such as Arturo Calle, restaurants and cafes as Presto, El Corral, McDonald's, Crêpes & Waffles, Juan Valdez.

Colombian artist Oscar Rodríguez Naranjo came back from France during the Second World War and settled in Bucaramanga.

It proudly stands as the leading higher education institution in the northeastern part of the country and ranks fourth among official universities nationwide.

Bucaramanga's culture has several expressions, from the visual arts such as painting, sculpture, photography, and recently also in experimental demonstrations that incorporate new technology for artistic communication, such as video.

Throughout Bucaramanga's history, it has hosted many cultural offerings in various areas, causing arts groups to form within the city.

But as culture has not traditionally played a leading role in local government, colleges do not receive sufficient funding and incentives to fulfill their purposes.

The Institute provides library services, art workshops, and a variety of shows and cultural work from the different neighborhoods of the city.

Nevertheless, one of the most exotic foods in this Colombian city is undoubtedly the “hormigas culonas”, or “big-butt ants”, which have made Bucaramanga famous nationally and internationally; the speciality has even been exported to Tokyo and London.

Founded in 1631, the gold mines were important during the colonial era of tremendous architectural heritage, which made it a national monument.

Stands the Museum of Religious Art, with valuable paintings and ancient liturgical objects, The Basilica of the Lord of Miracles, pilgrimage site, and the Chapel of Corregidor, on the outskirts.

Attractions in this village of cobblestone streets and wooden balconies include: Other attractions are the San Gil Ragonessi ecological park, spa blue well, the Grotto Hill, Cerro de La Cruz and adventure sports like rafting, mountain climbing, mountain biking and motocross, among others.

The Coliseo Bicentenario, built for the 2011 AMF Futsal World Championships held in Colombia, has a capacity of 8,000 spectators.

Another sports complex in the city is the Edmundo Luna Santos Coliseum, located in the Ciudadela Real de Minas area.

[23] The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Bucaramanga, for example to and from work, on a weekday, is 57 minutes.