San Andres is the capital of the Colombian department of San Andres y Providencia. It is situated at the north end of San Andrés Island, a quiet Caribbean island that has not yet been invaded by the hordes of tourists in luxurious cruises.

The Island was discovered by Columbus during his forth journey to America and called it San Andres because he saw it on a 30th of November. Providencia Island is not far from San Andres.

There live about 85,000 persons in 27 square kilometers area. The estimated total population of the island is considered at 100,000 which comprises of 20% Raizals and 80% mainland Colombian. Until some years ago the population was principally black, but today most inhabitants are from Colombia mainland. Many of the black population are Rastafarian.

A haven for English slaveholders and pirates since the 17th century, San Andrés Province - this island and others nearby with much smaller populations - came under Colombia's control after independence from Spain in the 1820s.

San Andres is famous to tourist for its beautiful beaches and its economy is mainly sustained by tourism and commercial fishing.