Tuluá (), is a city located in the heart of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. A major industrial and commercial center, it is the region's fourth-largest city after Cali—the department capital—Buenaventura and Palmira. Founded around 1741 by Juan de Lemos y Aguirre, it has a population of approximately 220,000. It is also known as the Corazón del Valle (meaning 'The Heart of Valle'), as La Villa de Céspedes ('Town of Céspedes', named after the naturalist Juan María Céspedes) and Tierra Fácil ('Easy Land' in the native language). It is well known throughout Colombia and many parts of South America as a major center of salsa dancing. Geography The Tuluá River runs through Tuluá's urban area. The city is located 269 miles from Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, 63 miles northeast of Cali and 108 miles from the important harbor city of Buenaventura, which lies on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Although it has a relatively small urban area, Tuluá's metropolitan area is comparatively big. The city lies between the two westernmost cordilleras of Colombia, about 50 miles east of Buenaventura. Climate Located just three degrees north of the equator, Tuluá has a tropical rainforest climate (Af in the Köppen climate classification). It has hot, sunny days usually in the high 20s and low 30s, punctuated by intense storms. Night temperatures are on average in the high teens. A lot of different vegetables and fruit are grown in Tuluá. Crime Tuluá has high crime rates. The surge in murders is allegedly due to rivaling paramilitary gangs Los Urabeños and Los Rastrojos fighting for control of the city's lucrative drug trade. In 2022, over 50 people were killed by a prison riot. Education The University of Valle has a branch campus in Tuluá. The main campus is based in Cali, the department's capital. UCEVA (the Central University of Valle del Cauca) has its main campus in the city. Transportation The closest airport is Cali's international airport—which in fact is in Palmira—Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) or Palmaseca. Nine airlines provide service for the airport, including American Airlines, AeroRepública and Avianca, Colombia's largest airline. Tuluá also has a regional airport, Heriberto Gíl Martínez Airport (ULQ). Places of interest Botanical garden (Jardin Botánico) called Juan María Céspedes in Mateguadua village. Chillicote lake is famous for its herons. The soccer stadium 12 de Octubre has a capacity of 17,000. It is used by the