César

César, departamento, northern Colombia, bounded on the northeast by Venezuela and on the southwest by the Magdalena River. Created in 1967, the departamento descends from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north and the Sierra de Perijá in the northeast to the lowlands of the Magdalena River valley. It is traversed by the César River, a tributary of the Magdalena. Cotton, rice, and corn (maize) are the principal crops, and cattle raising is widespread. Industry centres on Valledupar, the departmental capital, but is of less importance than agriculture. César is traversed north to south by the Santa Marta–Bogotá railroad (the Atlantic Railway), and highways from Santa Marta, Cúcuta, and Ríohacha lead through César to Valledupar. Area 8,844 square miles (22,905 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 929,096.