Cúcuta , officially
San José de Cúcuta is a
Colombian city, capital of
Norte de Santander department. It is located in the northeast of the country, in the eastern branch of the
Colombian Andes, just beside the border with
Venezuela. Cúcuta has a population of approximately 650,000 people according to the 2005-2020 census, making it the 6th largest city in the country. Due to its proximity with Venezuela, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The international border in Cúcuta is said to be the most dynamic of
South America. The city has a length of 12 km(7.4 mi) from north to south and 11 km(6.8 mi) from east to west. It is divided into 10 communes and it is the political, economic, administrative, industrial, cultural and tourism hub of the department.