Quick facts
Bucaramanga overview
Bucaramanga (orange) and the other large cities of Colombia
Bucaramanga lies in Santander Department in Colombia at 7.13°N, 73.12°W, about 1,010 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Bogota (UTC-5); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Soacha (655,025) and larger than Ibagué (529,635). The largest city in Colombia is Bogotá with 7,674,366 people; the capital, Bogotá, has 7,674,366.
The national capital, Bogotá, is about 299 km away; the nearest large city is Floridablanca, 8 km from Bucaramanga.
Colombia as a whole has a live population of 54,084,421 (+0.9% a year) and ranks #28 of 238 countries — see the Colombia population page for the full statistics and the Colombia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bucaramanga
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Floridablanca Santander Department | 8 km | 267,591 |
| Girón Santander Department | 8 km | 108,466 |
| Piedecuesta Santander Department | 17 km | 163,362 |
| Barrancabermeja Santander Department | 81 km | 191,403 |
| Cúcuta Norte de Santander Department | 110 km | 777,106 |
| Ocaña Norte de Santander Department | 126 km | 101,158 |
| Sogamoso Boyacá | 158 km | 111,336 |
| Tunja Boyacá | 178 km | 172,548 |
Largest cities in Colombia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BogotáCapital | Bogota D.C. | 7,674,366 |
| 2 | Cali | Valle del Cauca Department | 2,392,877 |
| 3 | Medellín | Antioquia | 1,999,979 |
| 4 | Barranquilla | Atlántico | 1,206,319 |
| 5 | Cartagena | Bolívar | 914,552 |
| 6 | Cúcuta | Norte de Santander Department | 777,106 |
| 7 | Soacha | Cundinamarca | 655,025 |
| 8 | Bucaramanga | Santander Department | 581,130 |
| 9 | Ibagué | Tolima Department | 529,635 |
| 10 | Santa Marta | Magdalena Department | 499,192 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bucaramanga?
Bucaramanga has about 581,130 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bucaramanga the capital of Colombia?
No. The capital of Colombia is Bogotá (7,674,366 people), about 299 km away. Bucaramanga is the 8th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Bucaramanga compared with the rest of Colombia?
Its 581,130 residents are 1.1% of the 54,084,421 people living in Colombia today. Bogotá is larger with 7,674,366 people.
Where is Bucaramanga?
In Santander Department, Colombia, at latitude 7.13 and longitude -73.12, 1,010 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Floridablanca (8 km), Girón (8 km), Piedecuesta (17 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bucaramanga Population 2026 — Colombia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/colombia/bucaramanga/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/colombia/bucaramanga/">Bucaramanga Population 2026 — Colombia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.