It is situated at the north end of San Andrés Island, on the Caribbean Sea.
The population is considered to be about 20% Raizals and 80% mainland Colombians.
The economy is mainly sustained by tourism and commercial fishing. Once a
duty-free port, it still has a relatively vigorous shopping district selling
various consumer goods at bargain prices, including Colombian gold and emerald
jewellery, leather goods and other distinctively Colombian wares.
San Andres has become such a byword for
bargain shopping in Colombia that many towns and cities have a bargain shopping
area
