Santa María is a department in the province of Córdoba Argentina, of 3,427 km², is made up of eight districts: Alta Gracia, Malagueño, Caseros, Calera, Lagunilla, Potrero de Garay, San Antonio and San Isidro. Its limits are, to the north with the departments Capital and Colón, to the east with the departments Río Primero and Río Segundo, to the south with the departments Tercero Arriba and Calamuchita and to the west with the departments San Alberto and Punilla. The former administrative unit of Anejos, which surrounded the Capital, was separated in two in November 1858. This division was made taking into account the Suquía River, and gave rise to the new jurisdictions of Anejos Norte and Anejos Sur. In 1892 the governor Manuel D.
Pizarro decreed the change of name of Anejos Sur for the one of Santa Maria, in memory of the ship capitana of Cristóbal Cólon. By Provincial Law No.9039, of 03/07/2002, promulgated on August 15,2002, the limit of the departments of Santa María and Calamuchita was modified, so that the La Cumbrecita commune was included entirely in the Calamuchita Department. The department crosses two branches of the General Bartolomé Miter Railway. The main highways are RP 5, RP C45, E56,271, RN 9 and RN 36.