Santa Anais the second largest city inEl Salvador, located 64 kilometers northwest ofSan Salvador, the capital city. Santa Ana has approximately 274,830 (2006) inhabitants and serves both as the capital of the department ofSanta Anaand as the municipal seat for the surroundingmunicipalityof the same name. For its administration the municipality is divided into 35 colonias (neighborhoods) and 318 small villages.
A major processing center for El Salvador's sizablecoffee beanindustry is located near Santa Ana.
Santa Ana, which is thesecond cityin importance in El Salvador, has become a very popular tourist destination, especially for tourists eager to learn about Salvadoran culture and traditions.