San Cristóbal is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western Venezuela. The city is situated 818m above sea level in the northern Andes overlooking the Torbes River, 56km from the Colombian border. San Cristóbal was founded on March 31, 1561 by Juan de Maldonado. From its inception, the city evolved rapidly as one of the most progressive and important centers of commerce in the country, due primarily to its rich soil and its proximity to the border with Colombia.The city was severely damaged by the Earthquake of Cúcuta (also known as Earthquake of the Andes) in 1875. The city is located on the Pan-American Highway.EducationSan Cristobal has a large student population. There are many post-secondary schools, both public and private, in San Cristobal. The main ones are: Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira (UNET) Universidad de los Andes (ULA) Universidad Católica del Táchira (UCAT) Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Fuerzas Amadas (UNEFA) Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA) Instituto Universitario Politecnico Santiago Mariño Instituto Universitario Antonio Jose de Sucre Instituto Universitario Monseñor Talavera Instituto Universitario Jesus Enrique Lozada Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo (IUTEPAL)