Capital District of Bogotá

About

Bogotá is the capital of Colombia, the nation's largest city, and one of the largest cities in South America with 7.3 million residents. It is also the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, although it is formally recognized as an independent Capital District (Bogotá, Distrito Capital). Bogotá is one of the highest elevated capital cities in South America, sitting at just over 2,600 km above sea level. During the 20th century, the city experienced rapid, unmanaged urban development which resulted in chronic traffic congestion. Today, Bogotá is a relatively large and sprawling city, covering 1,776 km2, amounting to a population density of about 4,100 people per km2. Since the 1990s, Bogotá’s master plans for land use, mobility and public space have been reversing the trend of increasing traffic congestion and CO2 emissions.