The Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina is one of the thirty-two departments that, together with the Capital District, form the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is San Andrés. It is located to the west of the Caribbean Sea 775 km northwest of the Atlantic coast of the continental territory of the country, and 220 km from the eastern coasts of Nicaragua, with 52 km² it is the least extensive department in the country, with about 76,500 inhabitants. In 2015, the fifth least populated - ahead of Amazonas, Vichada, Vaupés and Guainía, the least populated - and with 1470 inhabitants / km², the most densely populated. This places the islands in a delicate situation of resources.
It is made up of two municipalities: San Andrés and the municipality of Providencia and Santa Catalina Islas. It is the only insular department in Colombia and besides San Andrés, the largest island in the country, it is made up of other islands, cays and islets on the volcanic platform west of the Caribbean Sea. On June 23,1822, the flag of the then Republic of Gran Colombia was hoisted on the island of Providencia, and on July 21, the same was done on the island of San Andrés, date on which the archipelago was admitted into of the territorial conformation of the new nation according to the provisions of the Constitution of Cúcuta The main languages spoken in the territory are Sanadresano Creole, Spanish and English.