Santiago de Cali, simply referred to as
Cali, is a city in western
Colombia and the capital of the
Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest
city in the country. The principal urban, cultural, and economic site in southwestern Colombia, Cali has one of the fastest growing economies in the country due to its geographic location. The city was founded on 25 July 1536 by the Spanish
conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar.