Santiago de Cali , usually known by its short name "
Cali", is the capital of the
Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in Southwestern
Colombia, with an estimated 2,319,655 residents according to 2005-2020/
DANE population projections. The city spans with of urban area, making Cali the third largest city proper and metropolitan area in population and the second largest city by area in the country. As the only major Colombian city with access to the Pacific coast, Cali is the main urban and economic centre in Southwestern Colombia, and is one of the fastest growing economies in the country. Cali is also known as the capital of
Salsa music. The city was founded on 25 July 1536 by the Spanish
conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar.