Santander
Colombia's Andean achiever: lowest unemployment, 11% export growth in 2024, transitioning from footwear/poultry to precision manufacturing and R&D.
Bucaramanga was once known for footwear and poultry—industries that created Colombia's lowest unemployment rate but limited upward mobility. A qualitative transformation is underway. The capital now hosts precision manufacturing, biomedical research, R&D labs, and business process outsourcing. The Footwear Manufacturers' Association (Asoinducals) still exports to Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the Caribbean, but knowledge-intensive activities increasingly dominate.
Santander ranks among Colombia's top departments for income equality and labor participation. Non-mining-energy exports reached $331.2 million in 2024—up 11%—with edible fruits leading at $55.7 million (44% growth). Mexico and Venezuela emerged as growth markets, expanding 188% and 85% respectively. The department also hosts energy sector R&D centers in gas, oil, and corrosion, extending its traditional petroleum base into technology services.
The transformation makes Santander a test case for Colombian economic policy: can a mid-sized city move up value chains while maintaining manufacturing employment? By 2026, the department will reveal whether footwear can coexist with fintech, or whether the industrial base that created social stability becomes collateral damage in the pursuit of knowledge economy status.