Sincelejo, Sucre Department, Caribbean Region, Colombia

🇨🇴 Sincelejo is the capital and largest city of the Colombian department of Sucre. It is also the main city in the denominated Región Sabanas, a subdivision of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, and the 23rd largest city by population in Colombia. It is located 30 km from the Caribbean Sea by the Gulf of Morrosquillo, 125 km from Cartagena, and 200 km from Barranquilla.

The geography of Sincelejo is typical of mountain scenery, consisting of irregularly-shaped surfaces with variable slope and altitudes ranging from 50 to 260 meters. The weather is warm and dry, with average annual rainfall of 500–1200 mm. The hilly landscape is the most defining feature of the town, extending from the mountains to the borders of the plateau in the north and south. Erosion is present in the rugged topography of rolling hills, which are moderately to strongly broken, with slopes between 7–50%. The small mountain foothills in the municipality span from the marine fluvial plain in the west to the border shared with the town of Palmito. The terrain varies from flat to inclined.

Sincelejo is subdivided into an urban zone and a rural zone. The urban zone is divided into 9 Comunas (townships), while the rural has 21 divisions named Corregimientos.

Economy The main economic activities of the municipality of Sincelejo revolve around the area and neighboring department specifically in the livestock sector, agriculture, commerce, and other services. Because of the excellent quality, and breeding of is cattle, Sincelejo has been called the Capital Cebuísta de Colombia. It has facilities for fattening herds. Dairy farming is done on a smaller scale but is an important contributor to the city's economy.

Agriculture, is secondary to livestock farming, and is highlighted by the production of maize, cassava, yams, and bananas. Trade and other services, especially the government, are important economic activities in Sincelejo, supplementing the primary activities of the agricultural sector.

Industry is beginning to grow in the city with its new factories, including Postobón stands (drink stand), almidón (starch production), clothing, footwear, icopor (styrofoam), metal equipment, bricks, concrete, construction materials, and wood processing in particular, highlight the microenterprises in the municipality.

The economy of Sincelejo is sustained by: trade and services offered by banks, chain stores, clinics, restaurants, service stations, fixed and mobile telecommunications, road and air transport, automobiles, workshops. According to a recent census of the Industry and Commerce department, there are about 3000 establishments of all kinds of operating in the capital.

Transportation Sincelejo is known for being an important crossroads on the Colombian Caribbean coast. It is placed close to several important towns in the region – Montería, Magangué, Coveñas and San Marcos – and it is also relatively close to important cities in Colombia like Barranquilla, Cartagena, Valledupar and Medellín. There is regular transportation from Sincelejo to these cities by bus and taxi, with taxis being a little more expensive.

15 km away from Sincelejo is Las Brujas Airport where there are daily flights to the major cities of Bogotá and Medellín.

Education As the main city in Sucre and the Savannas Región, Sincelejo has a large number of students. There are several universities: Universidad de Sucre, which is the only public university in Sincelejo and Sucre. There are several private universities: CECAR, CORPOSUCRE, CUN, Universidad San Martín, Universidad Santo Tomás, Remington and there is a local office of the Universidad de Pamplona. There are several institutions offering technical and technological training the most important being the local facility of SENA.