[4] The municipality is within the Valley formed by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Serranía del Perijá mountains and the Cesar River.

The municipality is located on the mountain steps of the Serranía del Perijá covering a total area of 190 km2 and at 240 meters over sea level.

[7] The village of El Molino was founded in 1595 as Villa del Rosario by the Spanish colonizer Pedro Beltrán Valdés and became part of the Government of Santa Marta.

The first inhabitants in the region, prior to the Spanish colonization of the Americas were indigenous peoples pertaining to the Cariachiles ethnic group.

El Molino was officially formed by Ordinance 039 of 2001 segregated from the municipality of San Juan del Cesar after a popular referendum.